A wonderful and very rare figure of Jesus Christ.
This unique presentation of Christ shows Him towards the end of His ministry, near the time of the Crucifixion. He wears a star-shaped halo and holds a cup (linking this figure to the Last Supper), a tiny lamb (perhaps symbolising Christ as the ‘Lamb of God’ (John 1:29)), and a gilt cross (evoking the inevitability of the Crucifixion).
This delightful portrait figure is full of symbolism and little separately modelled details. Although naïve in form, it is truly one of the nicest depiction of Christ produced by the Staffordshire potters.
The figure presents in good condition though with some flaws relating to manufacture. Certain elements of the construction are ambitious for figures of this period and this has led to some small defects from the time of production. There is a firing flaw on one side of the halo where it connects with Christ’s face (this being a fragile and thin feature), and the slender cross is bent along the middle revealing a superficial crack (partly concealed by the face of the lamb) though this also appears to be a manufacturing flaw where the separately modelled cross has been ‘pressed’ into the main body of the figure while still soft enough to split. There is a pre-glazing chip to the inside of the small cup - again a manufacturing flaw. And there is a small firing flaw next to Christ’s left foot.
Despite these minor errors in production, the figure presents beautifully and there does not seem to be any damage which does not relate to the complexities of the design. This very rare and emotive figure is conceptually and constructively ambitious.
An Oliver-Sutton Antiques dealer sticker remains on the underside of the base.
Reference: Stephen Duckworth, Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Religious Figures, p. 115, fig. B.38
Height: 8.75”
Date: c. 1860s
Provenance: The Stephen Duckworth Collection / stock of Oliver-Sutton Antiques
A wonderful and very rare figure of Jesus Christ.
This unique presentation of Christ shows Him towards the end of His ministry, near the time of the Crucifixion. He wears a star-shaped halo and holds a cup (linking this figure to the Last Supper), a tiny lamb (perhaps symbolising Christ as the ‘Lamb of God’ (John 1:29)), and a gilt cross (evoking the inevitability of the Crucifixion).
This delightful portrait figure is full of symbolism and little separately modelled details. Although naïve in form, it is truly one of the nicest depiction of Christ produced by the Staffordshire potters.
The figure presents in good condition though with some flaws relating to manufacture. Certain elements of the construction are ambitious for figures of this period and this has led to some small defects from the time of production. There is a firing flaw on one side of the halo where it connects with Christ’s face (this being a fragile and thin feature), and the slender cross is bent along the middle revealing a superficial crack (partly concealed by the face of the lamb) though this also appears to be a manufacturing flaw where the separately modelled cross has been ‘pressed’ into the main body of the figure while still soft enough to split. There is a pre-glazing chip to the inside of the small cup - again a manufacturing flaw. And there is a small firing flaw next to Christ’s left foot.
Despite these minor errors in production, the figure presents beautifully and there does not seem to be any damage which does not relate to the complexities of the design. This very rare and emotive figure is conceptually and constructively ambitious.
An Oliver-Sutton Antiques dealer sticker remains on the underside of the base.
Reference: Stephen Duckworth, Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Religious Figures, p. 115, fig. B.38
Height: 8.75”
Date: c. 1860s
Provenance: The Stephen Duckworth Collection / stock of Oliver-Sutton Antiques
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