Lot Essay
Palemon and Lavinia were the lovers who featured in Autumn, part of a poetic cycle called The Seasons by James Thompson, published between 1726 and 1730. Their story ended happily, which made them a popular subject for depiction in the decorative arts. See David Drakard, Printed English Pottery - History and Humour in the Reign of George III 1760-1820 (1992), fig. 144, p. 64.