Artemisia mourning Mausolus: C.3191-1928

Titles

Artemisia mourning Mausolus

Maker(s)

Factory: Ludwigsburg Porcelain Factory
Modeller: Beyer, Johann Christian Wilhelm

Entities

• Figure

Categories

• Hard-paste porcelain

Description

Hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels, and gilt. Artemisia mourning beside an urn on which are the Greek words ‘ΘΕОІΣ ΚΑΤΑΧΘΟΝΙΟΙΣ’

Hard-paste porcelain, press-moulded, and painted overglaze in green, grey-green, yellow, flesh-pink, salmon-pink, red, mauve, brown, and greyish-brown enamels, and gilded. The underside is glazed an has four supporting struts projecting inwards from the sides, and a large round ventilation hole under the urn. The rectangular straight-sided base is decorated on three sides with panels containing swags of flowers and foliage in relief, held up at either end by a gold stud. The edges of the panels are bordered by gold lines and the top is grey-green. Artemisia stands beside an urn on a pedestal, resting her left elbow on its top and holding a cup in her right hand which also rests upon it. Her weight is on her right leg, her left foot is crossed over in front of it, and she leans forward and looks down. She has greyish-brown hair, brown eyes and eyebrows, and red lips, and on each cheek, a tear. She wears a gold frontlet and a salmon-pink, white and gold veil which hangs down at the back and is held in her left hand beside her shoulder. The lower part of her body is wrapped in a white, gold-edged garment, over which she has a tunic with a green and purple sprigged and dotted pattern, and mauve edges and lining, which reveals most of the right side of her body. On her right upper arm she has a gold and mauve bangle, and on her feet gold sandals. The square pedestal has mouldings on the upper and lower edges and is painted in salmon pink, pale yellow and gold. The urn is white with a series of green oval indentations on its neck, and gold lines on the edges of the relief decoration. On the front it has a rectangular panel inscribed in gold with the Greek words ΘΕОІΣ/ ΚΑΤΑΧΘΟΝΙΟΙΣ’. A brown-edged yellow shawl is draped over its back.

Notes

History note: Mr George Stoner, King Street, St James's, London, from whom purchased on 7 May 1919 for £25 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, Trinity College, Cambridge.

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Place(s) associated

• Ludwigsburg ⪼ Württemberg ⪼ Germany

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, third quarter
Production date: circa AD 1765 : Modelled 1764

Note

Mausolus, satrap of Caria, died c.353 BC. His widow (and sister), Artemisia, built a marble tomb for him at Halicarnassus which became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Overcome by grief, she is said to have mixed his ashes with her drink, hence the cup of wine held by the figure.

The figure may have slumped slightly during firing, as it appears to lean forward more than other models.

School or Style

Neoclassical