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Mezzetin from the Italian Comedy: C.815-1928

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Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Titles

Mezzetin from the Italian Comedy

Maker(s)

Factory: Unknown
Modeller: Reinicke, Peter (After)

Entities

Categories

Description

White-salt-glazed stoneware painted in enamels

White salt-glazed stoneware painted in blue, green, pink, brown grey, and black enamels. The figure stands on a roughly oval base with a tree stump at the back, and a spray of green foliage at the front. Mezzetin stands on his left leg with his right leg extended behind him. His left hand hangs down and his right is extended towards the viewer. He wears a loose brown cap, a white frill round his neck, a blue jacket, brown breeches and black shoes. A bright pink cloak passes over his left shoulder and arm, and is wrapped around him.

Notes

History note: J.Henry Griffith Collection, 336 Hagley Road, Birmingham; Frank Stoner, London, from whom purchased on 5 October 1925 for £203

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 11.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, third quarter
George II
Circa 1755 CE - 1760 CE

Note

The Meissen prototype for this figure was modelled by Peter Reinicke after an engraving by François Joullain (1797-1778) in Luigi Riccoboni's 'Histoire du théâtre italien', I, Paris, 1728, pl. 13, 'Habit de Mezzetin'. It was one of a set of Italian Comedy characters made for Johann Adolph II, Duke of Weissenfels in 1743-44.

School or Style

Rococo

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of enamel ( blue, green, pink, grey, and black)
Surface composed of salt-glaze

Materials used in production

Stoneware

Techniques used in production

Press-moulding : Press-moulded stoneware, salt-glazed, and painted in blue, green, pink, grey, and black enamels
Salt-glazing

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.815-1928
Primary reference Number: 76146
Old object number: 4831

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Mezzetin from the Italian Comedy" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/76146 Accessed: 2025-12-07 16:26:28

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/76146 |title=Mezzetin from the Italian Comedy |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-07 16:26:28|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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