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Minerva: C.888-1928

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Minerva

Maker(s)

Production: Unidentified Staffordshire factory

Entities

Categories

Description

Lead-glazed earthenware figure of Minerva standing with her owl beside her painted in polychrome enamels

Cream earthenware, moulded, covered with lead-glaze slightly tinted blue, and painted in blue, green, yellow, flesh pink, dull puce, orange, red, brown, greyish-brown, and black enamels. The figure stands on a low multi-coloured mound supported on a straight-sided square base decorated with a reddish-brown horizontal line and the name 'Minerva' across the front. It is closed and concave underneath and has a ventilation hole in the centre. Minerva stands facing towards the viewer with her right arm raised to hold a spear (missing), and her left hand resting on the top of a blue-edged oval shield decorated with a grotesque mask in relief. Her owl perches beside it. She has ruddy cheeks and wears a brown helmet with plumes on top, a green cuirass-like bodice with a red border round the square neckline, a long skirt scattered with floral sprays and spots, and sandals with brown straps. A billowing blue and dull puce drape is attached to her left shoulder by a brooch attached to a strap which passes across the front of her body to meet the drape at her waist on the opposite side.

Notes

History note: W.F.A. Wilson; Christie's, 15-16 November 1906, Catalogue of the collection of old English pottery and porcelain formed by W.F.A. Wilson, second day, part of lot 235; purchased with three other figures by Thomas Sutton for 17 guineas (£19.12.6 with commission) on behalf of Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 31.5 cm
12

At the moment, this record does not display units or type of measurements. We will rectify this as soon as possible.

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, Late-19th Century, Early#
George III
Circa 1790 - 1810

Note

Minerva was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Athene, who was goddess of handicrafts, and war, and was regarded as a personification of wisdom. In art she was often portrayed as a warrior, and accompanied by an owl.

School or Style

Neoclassical

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of enamel ( blue, green, yellow, flesh pink, dull puce, orange, red, brown, greyish-brown, and black)
Surface composed of lead-glaze ( tinted slightly blue)
Base Depth 19 cm Width 19 cm

Materials used in production

cream Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Moulding : Cream earthenware, moulded in parts, assembled, coated with lead-glaze tinted slightly blue, and painted in blue, green, yellow, flesh pink, dull puce, orange, red, brown, greyish-brown, and black enamels.

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: Minerva
  • Location: On exterior of base
  • Method of creation: Painted in brownish-red
  • Type: Inscription

Inscription present: rectangular white paper stick-on label with a blue line on the left and top edge and blue plant motifs in the upper two corners.

  • Text: No 2600/Staffordshire/figure of/Minerva /b. at Christies/Nov 16.1906
  • Location: On underside of base
  • Method of creation: Hand-written in black ink
  • Type: Label

Inscription present: shaped cutting from a sale catalogue

  • Text: STAFFORDSHIRE./ Statuette of Minerva on scroll base, with owl and shield, he /13 inches
  • Location: On underside of base
  • Method of creation: Printed in black
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.888-1928
Primary reference Number: 76291
Old object number: 2600
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 8 August 2023 Last processed: Wednesday 13 December 2023

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 (2024) "Minerva" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/76291 Accessed: 2024-11-21 18:37:37

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/76291 |title=Minerva |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-21 18:37:37|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-76291

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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Minerva</figcaption>
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