{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O109026"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109026/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB9226/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB9226/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AB9226","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O109026/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O109026","accessionNumber":"S.73-1988","objectType":"Figurine","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Earthenware flatbacks and figurines for mantelpiece decoration were first produced in  Staffordshire in the late 1830s.  The earliest appear to have been of Queen Victoria who was crowned in 1837, and during the 1840s countless other royal figures were issued by Staffordshire pottery firms, celebrating for example Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840, and the birth of the royal children. Although a few Staffordshire portrait figures were produced after Victoria's death in 1901, few appear to have been produced after 1905.  During their heyday they were produced in vast numbers, usually modelled after prints. As well as the royal family they represented a wide variety of subjects, including military heroes, political figures, actors and actreses and famous poets and playwrights. \r\n\r\nThis figurine of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is one of several versions of him produced by various Staffordshire firms. Moulded figurines like this were relatively cheap and extremely popular; the possession of a figurine of Shakespeare would have been considered a mark of taste in many a Victorian parlour.  This figurine was issued in two sizes and a companion piece of Giuseppe Garibaldi was issued, because Garibaldi visited England in 1864, the tricentenary of Shakespeare's birth.","physicalDescription":"Glazed earthenware figurine of Shakespeare standing on an oval shaped raised gilt-lined integral base, his right leg crossed in front of his left. He is leaning with his right arm on a column of three black and red books which sit on a pedestal. His right hand is by his right cheek, and his left hand is resting on his right hip, with his fingers appearing to support a red book against his right side. He wears a white jacket and breeches with decorative detail picked out in gold and a short ermine edged cloak which is modelled at the back (i.e. it's not a flat-back). His hair and bear are painted grey.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"earthenware","id":"x29356"},{"text":"glaze","id":"AAT15091"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Glazed earthenware","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Figures & Decorative ceramics","id":"THES48954"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Shakespeare","id":"THES253244"},{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AB9226"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES355425"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"figurines","id":"AAT47455"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Staffordshire","id":"x29181"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1864","earliest":"1864-01-01","latest":"1864-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from Christie's South Kensington","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"46.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"22.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of base, which is widest point","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"13.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"AUG 1986\r\n112","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Lot number on label on base"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Glazed figurine of William Shakespeare (1564-1616).  Earthenware, Staffordshire, 1864.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Victorian Staffordhsire Figures 1835-1875, Book One</i> by A & N. Harding"}],"production":"This was issued in two sizes in 1864, the tricentenary of Shakespeare's birth.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Shakespeare, William","id":"N15"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.73-1988"],"accessionNumberNum":"73","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1988,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-10","recordCreationDate":"2005-02-04","availableToBook":true}}