A porter: C.28-1954

Current Location: Gallery 26 (Lower Marlay)

Titles

A porter

Maker(s)

Factory: Meissen Porcelain Factory
Modeller: Kändler, Johann Joachim

Entities

Figure

Description

Hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels

Hard-paste porcelain, press-moulded, and painted overglaze in blue, green, yellow, flesh pink, mauve, red, buff, brown, and black enamels, and gilt. The unglazed underside has a small blocked ventilation hole near viewer's back left corner. The rounded square low mound base has a tree stump support in the back left corner, and is decorated on top with applied leaves, a red and white flower, and a blue flower with yellow centre. The porter steps forward onto his right foot and has his left behind him. He looks towards his right, holding out his right hand in front, and grasping the top of a walking stick in his left hand. He has red lips, and curling black hair which is shoulder length at the back, and is partially covered by a black tricorne hat with two short gold straps and a button on its left side. He wears a white shirt, a mauve coat with gold buttons, yellow breeches, white stockings and black shoes with gold buckles. Slung on his back by means of two buff straps over his shoulders, is a brown wooden rack containing a rectangular black parcel with white cords, and an oval buff-coloured box.

Notes

History note: Purchased by the 2nd Lord Fisher of Kilverstone from Heinz Horwitz, Berlin on 11 February 1933, for £25

Legal notes

Given by Lord and Lady Fisher through the National Art Collections Fund

Measurements and weight

Depth: 9 cm
Height: 18.8 cm
Width: 8.5 cm

Relative size of this object

What does this represent?

Relative size of this object is displayed using code inspired by Good Form and Spectacle's work on the British Museum's Waddeson Bequest website and their dimension drawer. They chose a tennis ball to represent a universally sized object, from which you could envisage the size of an object.

Place(s) associated

Meissen ⪼ Saxony ⪼ Germany

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1954-01-14) by Fisher, Lord and Lady

Dating

Mid 18th Century
Production date: circa AD 1747

Note

Meissen model no. 1030. Probably modelled by J.J. Kaendler after 'Le Crocheteur', plate 9 in the first set of 'Etudes prises dans le bas Peuple ou les Cris de Paris', engraved by the comte de Caylus (1692-1765) after drawings by Edmé Bouchardon (1689-1762), published in 1737. In the print, the porter has a short stick in his hand

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of enamel ( blue, green, yellow, flesh pink, mauve, red, buff, brown, and black) gold
Visible Surfaces composed of glaze ( clear)

Materials used in production

Hard-paste porcelain

Techniques used in production

Press-moulding : Hard-paste porcelain, press-moulded, and painted overglaze in blue, green, yellow, flesh pink, mauve, red, buff, brown, and black enamels, and gilt. The unglazed underside has a small blocked ventilation hole near viewer's back left corner

Inscription or legends present

Text: small crossed swords
Location: On lower edge of back of base
Method of creation: Painted underglaze in blue
Type: Factory mark

Text: F
Location: On base
Method of creation: Hand-written in black ink
Type: Inscription

Text: 15789 and below 6
Location: In base
Method of creation: Hand-written in pencil
Type: Number

Inscription present: circular white paper label with scalloped edge

Text: printed in red, the Fisher crest with below 'No.' (o raised), followed by '362' hand-written in black ink
Location: On base
Method of creation: Printed in red and hand-written in black ink
Type: Label