I found a rather unusual figure in the stock of Roger Deville. Roger notes the figure has an impressed number and, I think on that basis, he attributes it to Ralph Wood. Roger is correct in that Ralph Wood used impressed numbers, but so did Enoch Wood. I am pretty certain this is an Enoch Wood figure.
From the stock of Roger Deville.
Isn't it a lovely figure? Roger notes that it depicts St. Anne reading to the Virgin Mary. Is he correct? After all, the figure is untitled. Hmm...it got me wondering, so I poked around.
The subject of Anne reading to her daughter, the VIrgin Mary, was popularized in mediaeval paintings, but these art works bear little resemblance to our earthenware figure.
The subject of Anne reading to her daughter, the VIrgin Mary, was popularized in mediaeval paintings, but these art works bear little resemblance to our earthenware figure.
The Fitzwilliam Museum owns this rather similar looking figure--thanks to Stephen Duckworth for telling me about it. The figure is French, faience, made in Rennes between 1750 and 1799. And, importantly, it is titled S. ANNE. Based on this, you may conclude that the Enoch Wood figure is the same subject, and you may well be right.
But just when I thought I had nailed the figure as St. Anne, I dug up this Derby figure, 1780-1790, also in the Fitzwilliam Museum. Derby factory records refered to this figure as The Prudent Mother. The Prudent Mother is possibly reading to her child from the Bible. I don't think St. Anne entered into the picture at all here.
Note that the Derby figure more closely resembles Roger's Enoch Wood figure in both the positioning of the mother and child, and in the use of a high-backed chair. Derby paired The Prudent Mother with another figure, which it called Madonna and Child.
Note that the Derby figure more closely resembles Roger's Enoch Wood figure in both the positioning of the mother and child, and in the use of a high-backed chair. Derby paired The Prudent Mother with another figure, which it called Madonna and Child.
Well, we know what Rennes manufacturers were thinking and we know what Derby intended in the late 1700s--but we do not know what Enoch Wood intended ca. 1825. The jury is still out, although I must admit a bias toward The Prudent Mother. But if you buy Roger's lovely figure, you can call it what you wish. Ownership has its privileges.
And if you like this figure form, please buy Roger's. Don't buy later versions, such as the one below.
And if you like this figure form, please buy Roger's. Don't buy later versions, such as the one below.
This later figure was made well after Enoch Wood's demise, although it is derived directly from Enoch Wood's figure. Alas, (and I just can't help feeling rather smug) note how quality deteriorated in later years. Need I point out the obvious differences? I think not. The picture speaks for itself. Wouldn't we all rather have the earlier figure, whatever it's name?
