Confession: I find FaceBook curiously complicated. Nonetheless, I somehow managed to create a group page for mystaffordshirefigures.com. The group is open so I think anyone can join it. I use it to post things as I see them. And yes, this website definitely needs a major revamp. That's on my 2013 To Do list--for when the book is done.
This week, I posted a figure of Simon onto Facebook. The figure is in the stock of Aurea Carter and it is most unusual. I had never seen Simon with a bocage before.
This week, I posted a figure of Simon onto Facebook. The figure is in the stock of Aurea Carter and it is most unusual. I had never seen Simon with a bocage before.
The figure of Simon that is perhaps most well know is the Ralph Wood model, below. It is only known made without a bocage. Examples occur impressed "96" or "135". You will recall Ralph Wood's habit of putting impressed numbers on some of his figures.
The example of Simon below was almost certainly not made by Ralph Wood, although the figure is probably from the same molds. It is in the style of Enoch Wood, but possibly Ralph Wedgwood or somebody entirely different made it.
The two figures of Simon on square bases were made without bocages--and, until I saw Aurea's figure, I thought Simon only occurred without a bocage. I was excited to see Aurea's Simon-with-bocage in her Bargain Basement so I posted it to Facebook. Several people commented "Who is Simon"....so here is the answer
Simon (spelled Cymon) is the hero in The Decameron, a novella set in Cyprus and written around 1350 by Giovanni Boccaccio. The narrative tells of Cymon who, deemed a dolt by his aristocratic father, is sent to live and work with his father’s slaves in the countryside. In this environment, Cymon became increasingly coarse. One day, Cymon came upon highborn Iphigenia, slumbering in a field. He was so smitten by her beauty that his noble bearing surfaced and his father reinstated him. Iphigenia was promised to another, but this tale of wars and abduction in the name of love ended happily with Cymon and Iphigenia united for life. In 1700, John Dryden published his Fables, Ancient and Modern, containing the story as a poem.
The figure of Simon is modeled from the figure Paul Louis Cyfflé made for Lunéville. But what of Iphigenia? Yes, she too exists in earthenware, and she, like Simon, is not that common, especially if you are wanting an enamel-painted version. Andrew Dando had one some years ago, and this example is in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Simon (spelled Cymon) is the hero in The Decameron, a novella set in Cyprus and written around 1350 by Giovanni Boccaccio. The narrative tells of Cymon who, deemed a dolt by his aristocratic father, is sent to live and work with his father’s slaves in the countryside. In this environment, Cymon became increasingly coarse. One day, Cymon came upon highborn Iphigenia, slumbering in a field. He was so smitten by her beauty that his noble bearing surfaced and his father reinstated him. Iphigenia was promised to another, but this tale of wars and abduction in the name of love ended happily with Cymon and Iphigenia united for life. In 1700, John Dryden published his Fables, Ancient and Modern, containing the story as a poem.
The figure of Simon is modeled from the figure Paul Louis Cyfflé made for Lunéville. But what of Iphigenia? Yes, she too exists in earthenware, and she, like Simon, is not that common, especially if you are wanting an enamel-painted version. Andrew Dando had one some years ago, and this example is in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Every figure has a tale to tell, and Simon and Iphigenia are no exception.
Those of you in the UK, don't forget the NEC show is on this week. Envy, envy. I wish I could go, but I wish you happy shopping.
Those of you in the UK, don't forget the NEC show is on this week. Envy, envy. I wish I could go, but I wish you happy shopping.
