Current Location: Gallery 26 (Lower Marlay)
Titles
The Whip-Poor-Will or Lesser Goat-Sucker
Maker(s)
Factory:
Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory
Entities
Categories
Description
Soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels
Soft-paste porcelain, moulded, and painted over glaze in greyish-blue, green, yellow, pink, dark pink, red, purple, brown, and black enamels. The circular underside is unglazed and has a small circular ventilation hole in the centre. The tree trunk rises from a low circular mound. Some roots are visible at the front, and there are four groups of raised leaves at intervals on the sides. The bird perches on the top on both feet. Its plumage is painted in greyish-blue, yellow, pink, red, brown, and purple, and its eyes in black The base is white with four green and yellow splashes. The base and tree trunk are lightly painted in pale brown on one side, the roots are pink, and the groups of raised leaves are yellow and green with dark brown veins.
Notes
History note: Unknown before donor, Mrs W.D. (Frances Louisa) Dickson, Bournemouth
Legal notes
Given by Mrs W.D. Dickson
Measurements and weight
Height: 15.8 cm
Length: 15 cm
Place(s) associated
-
Chelsea
⪼ Middlesex
⪼ England
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Given
(1932-10)
by
Dickson, W. D. (Frances Louisa), Mrs
Dating
Raised anchor period (1749-1752)
18th Century, Mid
George II
Circa
1750
CE
-
1752
CE
Note
The model was adapted from pl. 63, the Whip Poor Will or Lesser Goat-Sucker in George Edwards, The Natural History of Uncommon Birds, vol. II, 1747.
School or Style
Rococo
Components of the work
Decoration
composed of
enamels
( greyish-blue, green, yellow, pink, dark pink, red, purple, brown, and black)
Visble Surfaces
composed of
lead-glaze
Visible Surfaces
Materials used in production
Soft-paste porcelain
Techniques used in production
Slip-casting
: Soft-paste porcelain, slip-cast (presumed) and painted overglaze in greyish-blue, green, yellow, pink, dark pink, red, purple, brown, and black enamels
Inscription or legends present
Inscription present: oval pad with raised anchor
- Text: a raised anchor
- Location: On the front of the tree trunk
- Method of creation: Applied
- Type: Factory mark
References and bibliographic entries
-
Old English Porcelain
-
Old English Porcelain: a Handbook for Collectors
-
Plagiarism Personified? European Pottery and Porcelain Figures
page(s): 47
-
A Natural History of Uncommon Birds: and of some other rare and undescribed animals, quadrupeds, fishes, reptiles, insects, &c., exhibited in two hundred and ten copper-plates, from designs copied immediately from nature, and curiously coloured after life, with a full and accurate description of each figure, to which is added A brief and general idea of drawing and painting in water-colours; with instructions for etching on copper with aqua fortis; likewise some thoughts on the passage of birds; and additions to many subjects described in this work
-
The Chelsea Birds
page(s): 69
-
Chelsea Porcelain at Williamsburg
page(s): 126
-
Eighteenth Century English Porcelain Figures 1745-1795
page(s): 290 & 90
-
Nature, Porcelain and Enlightenment: George Edwards and the Chelsea Porcelain Birds
page(s): 31-66
Related exhibitions
Identification numbers
Accession number: C.81-1932
Primary reference Number: 80510
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 13 October 2020
Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
