Girl with lambs

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative collection, *Girl with Lambs* is a delicate soft-paste porcelain figurine crafted by the Chelsea Porcelainufactory around 1760–65. Standing just 3⅜ inches tall, this charming British piece depicts a young girl accompanied by lambs amid flowers, evoking pastoral innocence and the Rococo era's love for whimsical, nature-inspired scenes. Gifted by Irwin Untermyer in 4, it exemplifies the's mastery in creating intimate, table-top ornaments for affluent 18th-century homes. Chelsea, one of England's pioneering porcelain works (active 1743–1769), specialized in soft-paste porcelain—a creamy, translucent material fired at lower temperatures than true hard-paste, allowing for intricate modeling and vibrant enameling. This "Gold Anchor" period piece, marked by its factory's distinctive anchor symbol in gold, reflects the manufactory's ambition to rival German Meissen wares. Techniques like meticulous hand-painting and gilding brought the girl's flowing dress, fluffy lambs, and blooming flowers to life, blending technical innovation with playful storytelling. Culturally, such figurines symbolized refined taste and the Age of Enlightenment's fascination with childhood and rural idylls. Perfect for a mantel or cabinet, *Girl with Lambs* invites visitors to appreciate how porcelain bridged art and everyday luxury, capturing a fleeting moment of joy in enduring form.

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...