Monumental Staffordshire Pearlware Figure: "Ceres" (Goddess of Plenty) on Marbled Plinth

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Description

Monumental Staffordshire Pearlware Figure: "Ceres" (Goddess of Plenty) on Marbled Plinth
Circa 1815

A magnificent, museum-quality Staffordshire pearlware figure of … Read more Monumental Staffordshire Pearlware Figure: "Ceres" (Goddess of Plenty) on Marbled Plinth
Circa 1815

A magnificent, museum-quality Staffordshire pearlware figure of exceptional scale, standing over 20 inches tall. Modeled circa 1815, this figure depicts Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, often serving as the allegorical representation of "Plenty" or "Summer."

The figure is modeled with classical grace, wearing a striking canary-yellow toga draped over a lilac tunic patterned with delicate black floral sprigs. She holds her traditional attributes: in her right hand, a large cornucopia overflowing with the harvest's bounty, and in her left, a flaming torch (symbolizing her search through the underworld for her lost daughter, Proserpina).

She stands upon a high, square plinth decorated with a vivid "scagliola" or faux-marbled glaze in swirls of black, green, and salmon pink—a decorative technique designed to mimic the expensive stone plinths of aristocratic marble statuary.

Condition: Good antique condition.

Restoration: The tip of the flaming torch has been professionally and invisibly restored (a common repair for this fragile extremity).
Wear: There is a minor chip to the rim of the cornucopia. The enamels remain bright and vibrant.

Measurements:

Height: 20 1/2 inches (52.07 cm)
Width: 7 inches (17.78 cm)
Depth: 5 inches (12.70 cm)

Historical Context:

During the Regency period, Staffordshire potters sought to emulate the grandeur of carved marble statues found in stately homes. They created these "monumental" earthenware figures to adorn the mantelpieces and hallways of the rising middle class.

As noted by authority Myrna Schkolne, this figure likely formed the centerpiece of a set depicting the Four Seasons (with Ceres representing Summer). The combination of the "classical" subject matter with the "naive" charm of English pottery painting makes this a quintessential example of British Folk Art.

Literature & Reference:

Myrna Schkolne, Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840: Family, Friendship, Play, & Classical Subjects, Vol. 4: See Page 132, Figure 166.14 for this specific model.

(Ref: NY10281-crrr) See less