Cupid playing a Pipe: C.99-1932

Titles

Cupid playing a Pipe

Maker(s)

Factory: Derby Porcelain Factory
Proprietor: William Duesbury & Co.

Entities

• Figure

Categories

• Soft-paste porcelain

Description

Soft-paste porcelain figure of a Cupid playing a pipe accompanied by a dog, painted in enamels, and gilt

Soft-paste porcelain figure of a Cupid, slip-cast, lead-glazed, and painted overglaze in turquoise blue, green, flesh-pink, red, purple, reddish-brown, brown, and black enamels, and gilt. The underside is unglazed and has a large circular ventilation hole surrounded by three patch marks. The irregularly-shaped low mound base has a rocky edge, and at the back a tree stump with a short projecting foliated branch on the viewer’s right. The Cupid stands on his left leg with his right stretched out in front, and leans back onto a turquoise drape on the top of the tree trunk. He looks downwards towards the pipe which he holds in both hands. He has brown curly hair and eyebrows, black eyes, red lips, and white wings. He wears a black, broad-brimmed hat, a white drape with a purple floral pattern and gold edges, and has a red game back suspended by a dotted gilt chain over his left shoulder. On the ground on his right there is a recumbent reddish-brown and white dog with a black collar.

Notes

History note: Uncertain before donor Mrs W.D. (Frances Louisa) Dickson

Legal notes

Given by Mrs W.D. Dickson

Place(s) associated

• Derby ⪼ Derbyshire ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1932-10) by Dickson, W. D. (Frances Louisa), Mrs

Dating

18th Century, Late
George III
Circa 1775 CE - 1780 CE

Note

One of a pair of Cupids listed in Haslem's 'Price List of Groups and Figures' as numbers 205 and 206, priced at 5s. 0d. enamelled and gilt and 7s.0d. biscuit.

School or Style

Rococo