FOUR DERBY FIGURES EMBLEMATIC OF THE FOUR QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE

CIRCA 1770

Details

FOUR DERBY FIGURES EMBLEMATIC OF THE FOUR QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE
Circa 1770
Each modelled as a draped figure standing on a rocaille moulded base enriched in gilt, the scrolls on the front enclosing the name of the continent inscribed in gilt, 'Europe' wearing a crown, an orb in her right hand, her left raised; 'Asia' with a wreath in her hair, holding a bottle of exotic spices in her right hand, a camel recumbent at her feet; 'America' as an Indian wearing a leafy loin cloth, his right foot resting on the back of an aligator; 'Africa' as a Nubian wearing an elephant headdress, a lion recumbent at his feet
9¼ in. (23.5 cm.) high (4)

Provenance

Earl of Charleville, Charleville Castle, Ireland.
with Nieman-Marcus, Dallas, Texas.
Ben and Margaret Morgan, Odessa, Texas, 1950's.
By descent to the present owner.

Lot Essay

The present figures are based on a prototype likely modeled for the Chelsea factory by the Flemish sculptor Joseph Willems (c. 1715-1766) in 1758-1760. A possibly unique set of these massive figures in Chelsea soft paste porcelain, each approximately 30 inches high, was sold by Christie's last year - Boulle to Jansen: An Important Provate Collection; Christies, London, 11-12 June 2003, lot 56.

See Arthur Lane, English Porcelain Figures of the 18th Century, 1961, pls. 22B and 23B for the related table-size Chelsea models and Peter Bradshaw, Derby Porcelain Figures 1750-1848, 1990, pls. 249 and 298, for the related Derby models.

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