Pedlar (one of a pair) 1760 - 1770

Editor: So, here we have "Pedlar," a porcelain sculpture, or rather a pair of sculptures, made around 1760-1770 by the Derby Porcelain Manufactory. They have this lovely, almost antiquated charm about them. They feel very detailed but in a reserved manner, perhaps that comes from the black-and-white coloration. What leaps out to you when you see them? Curator: Oh, they're absolute gems! Imagine them gracing a mantelpiece in some grand drawing room, a testament to the rising middle class with money to burn in 18th-century England. I am swept away by the theatricality. Each pedlar is posed! She has the upright bearing of a lady but holds her wares, while he's got this playful twinkle in his eye as if he's about to make you an offer you can't refuse. See how they are perched delicately on little mounds with scattered flowers. Editor: A little stage for each of them! It’s interesting you mention the rising middle class. Would having figures like these have been a sign of wealth and taste? Curator: Precisely! Porcelain was still quite a luxurious material, so owning these little figures was a statement, a way to show off your appreciation for artistry, or your newly acquired status in life. Imagine the conversations these two might have sparked around a fireplace – are they portraits of people from this era, maybe their patron's parents? The figures, with their implied narratives, add a playful spirit of domestic drama, don’t you think? Editor: They do now. They’ve gone from being just decorative pieces to little characters in a play. I never thought about that! Thanks for opening my eyes. Curator: My pleasure! I do love how the everyday objects become vessels for such lovely stories when art is in view.