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James Quin in the role of Sir John Falstaff: C.906-1928

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

James Quin in the role of Sir John Falstaff

Maker(s)

Production: Wood & Caldwell

Entities

Categories

Description

Lead-glazed earthenware painted in polychrome enamels

White earthenware coated with slightly blue tinted lead-glaze, and painted in blue, green, yellow, pink, flesh pink, brownish-red, lilac, brown, grey and black enamels; yellow is used to imitate gilding. The model is supported on a shallow straight-sided square base which has chamfered sides on the closed underside and an off-centre ventilation hole. The factory mark 'WOOD & CALDWELL' is impressed diagonally across it. Falstaff stands on a circular based with rococo scrolls at the front, and a green tree stump decorated with applied flowers at the back. The corpulent actor has his weight on his right foot and holds a sword in his right hand (all but its handle missing). An oval shield decorated with a yellow sunburst is strapped to his left upper arm. He has shoulder length black hair, a black beard a ruddy complexion and a paunch. He wears a black hat with pale red and white plumes round its brim, a frilled collar, a sleeveless lilac coat with yellow edges and buttons, a red, and black striped and patterned waistcoat with yellow trimming and buttons, a black belt, red breeches, and black boots with grey tops.

Notes

History note: Dr Griffin, Banbury from whom bought for £2.5.0s. by Mr Roe of Cambridge; sold by him in January 1903 to Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge.

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 22.2 cm
Width: 12.8 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Burslem ⪼ Staffordshire ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

19th Century, Early#
Circa 1800 - 1820

Note

This earthenware figure imitates a Derby porcelain figure first produced in the 1760s, and later made in five sizes. An example is in the Schreiber Collection in the Victoria & Albert Museum, (inv. 414:204-1885). The model was based on a mezzotint by James McArdell (1729-65) after a portrait by Francis Hayman of the actor James Quin (1693-1766) in the role of Sir John Falstaff, a character who appears in Shakespeare's plays, Henry IV Parts I and II, and the Merry Wives of Windsor. Quin performed the role several times on the London stage between 1742 and 1757, when he retired. The porcelain figure was gilded, but on the earthenware version yellow has been used instead of gold. Enoch Wood entered into a formal partnership with James Caldwell in 1793 when his newly-built factory at Fountain Place, Burslem was completed, and they continued in partnership until 1820. The bold colouring of this figure, indicates that it was made c. 1800-15 rather than in the 1790s.

School or Style

Rococo

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of enamel ( blue, two shades of green, yellow, flesh pink, red, lilac, brown, grey, and black)
Surface composed of lead-glaze ( blue-tinted)
Base Depth 8.7 cm Width 8.9 cm

Materials used in production

white Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Moulding : White earthenware, moulded in parts, assembled, coated with blue-tinted lead-glaze, and painted in blue, two shades of green, yellow, flesh pink, red, lilac, brown, grey, and black enamels; yellow is used to imitate gilding

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: WOOD & CALDWELL
  • Location: On underside of base
  • Method of creation: Impressed
  • Type: Factory mark

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.906-1928
Primary reference Number: 76340
Old object number: 2329
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 4 July 2023 Last processed: Thursday 7 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "James Quin in the role of Sir John Falstaff" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76340 Accessed: 2024-11-05 03:39:11

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76340 |title=James Quin in the role of Sir John Falstaff |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 03:39:11|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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