Mansion House Dwarf: C.77-1933

Titles

Mansion House Dwarf

Maker(s)

Factory: Derby Porcelain Factory
Proprietor: William Duesbury & Co.
Printmaker: Callot, Jacques (After)

Entities

• Figure

Categories

• Soft-paste porcelain

Description

Soft-paste porcelain figure of a dwarf wearing a tall hat, painted in polychrome enamels, and gilt

Soft-paste porcelain figure of a dwarf, slip-cast, and painted overglaze in pale greyish-blue, turquoise, green, yellow, pink, red, purple, grey, and black enamels. The underside of the base is unglazed and has a large circular ventilation hole, and three patch marks. The circular base has deep rounded sides, painted to resemble grass, and rises up into a small low stump in the centre. The dwarf stands with his feet on either side of it. He faces the front, holds a yellow staff in his left hand, and places his right on his waist. He has grey hair, moustache, eyebrows and eyes, and a red mouth, which is wide open. He wears a tall pale greyish-blue hat with red underside to the brim, and a black scarf round the crown to which is attached a bunch of white and red feathers. He has a peasecod double with a pale yellow ground and purple floral pattern, except for a strip down the centre front which has a harlequin pattern and purple buttons. On his right shoulder there are yellow, pink, red, and turquoise tabs, and on the left shoulder, pink, red, and yellow ones. His trunk hose are pink and his shoes black with reserved white buckles. A pair with C.76-1933

Notes

History note: Uncertain before testator

Legal notes

A.V. Valentine-Richards Bequest

Place(s) associated

• Derby ⪼ Derbyshire ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933) by Valentine-Richards, A. V., The Rev

Dating

18th Century, Late
George III
Circa 1780 CE - 1790 CE

Note

This dwarf and its companion were mention in the Derby sale catalogue of 1784 and were included in Haslem's Price List of Groups and Single Figures' made at Derby as ' 226 Pair of Grotesque Punches'. See Documentation, 1876.

This model had been produced earlier at Meissen, Mennecy, and Chelsea. It was derived from a print by Jacques Callot, 'L'homme au ventre tombant, et a chapeau très elevé', an example of which is in the Founders Bequest to the Fitzwilliam Museum (24.I.9.762). See Documentation, 1927.

School or Style

Rococo