Chelsea Derby Porcelain Figures of Shepherd and Shepherdess c1775

Description

Heading : Chelsea Porcelain Figures of Shepherd and Shepherdess
Date : 1770-1780
Period : George III
Marks : Gold anchors to the rear of both pieces
Origin : Chelsea. London or Derby. England
Colour : Polychrome enamels and gilt highlights
Description :  The shepherdess ‘sits’ against a sheep. with a low bocage to her left. with her male colleague similarly braced against a tree stump. standing between further bocage and his dog; she hold a posy of flowers. he holds a fipple flute

Features: Both characters are extravagantly dressed. and in exceptionally bright colours for rural folk; their clothing shares an identical palette with – most tellingly – matching eight-pointed ‘star’ features. which indicates that they may well be an original pair. having remained together for some 260 years.
Condition : Excellent; some glaze-crazing. the inevitable losses to the tips of petals and leaves from the bocage. and some firing cracks – especially to the underside of the shepherdesses skirt. above her recumbent charge. The extremities of her posy. and of her partners fingers. have also suffered very minor losses
Restoration : none
Dimensions : 18.0 and 17.8 cm tall respectively
Weight : 680 grams for the pair

References: See Victoria and Albert Museum accession numbers c.578-1919 and c258-1935