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Holy water stoup: C.2378-1928

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Production: Unidentified French pottery

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware painted in blue and manganese-purple

Buff earthenware, the back moulded in relief, the receptacle thrown and applied, tin-glazed and painted in blue and manganese-purple. The back is vesica-shaped with a winged cherub's head in relief at the top, and a Crucifixion below, with a pierced hole for a suspension cord or hook between them. The water receptacle is bowl-shaped with an everted rim, and a narrow foot. The cherub's head and the details of the Crucifixion, and inscription INRI are outlined in manganese-purple. The cherub's wings, the Cross and Christ's loin cloth are blue and there are sprays of blue foliage on either side, and a border of uneven vertical strokes round the receptacle below the rim on the exterior. There is a firing crack on the viewer's right of the reverse.

Notes

History note: Purchased in London, about 1896 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequst

Measurements and weight

Height: 18.1 cm
Width: 8.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century-19th Century#
Circa 1700 CE - 1850 CE

Note

Dr Glaisher considered that this holy water stoup or benitier may have been made in Brittanny. Small holy water stoups were hung up inside the downstairs of houses, or were hung on the bed head.

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colour ( blue from cobalt and purple from manganese)
Back
Receptacle

Materials used in production

buff Earthenware
Tin-glaze

Techniques used in production

Tin-glazing

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: INRI
  • Location: On titulus above Christ's head
  • Method of creation: Painted in manganese-purple
  • Type: Inscription

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.2378-1928
Primary reference Number: 76737
Old object number: 459
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 9 March 2016 Last processed: Wednesday 13 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) "Holy water stoup" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76737 Accessed: 2024-11-04 18:02:50

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76737 |title=Holy water stoup |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-04 18:02:50|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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