Dove (one of a pair)
ca. 1750
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Overall: 5 1/2 × 5 in. (14 × 12.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
British, Chelsea
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number
64.101.429
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled among the treasures of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative collection, this delicate *Dove (one of a pair)* from the Chelsea Porcelainufactory, circa 1750, exemplifies elegance of early British porcelain. Crafted from soft-paste porcelain—a innovative blend of clay and ground glass fired at lower temperatures than true hard-paste—this 5½ × 5-inch figure allowed artisans to achieve intricate details and translucent whites rivaling prized Chinese imports. Chelsea, one of Britain's pioneering factories (active 1743–1784), marked a national push for self-suff...
About the Artist
Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory · 1744–1784
**Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory** The Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory, Britain's pioneering porcelain enterprise, was founded around 1743 in Chelsea, London, by two Huguenot silversmiths: Nicholas Sprimont from Liège and Charles Gouyn. Sprimont, trained in Paris as a goldsmith before immigrating to England, brought his expertise in luxury metalwork to the venture, while Gouyn handled early sales th...