Columbine 1749 - 1759

This is a tiny porcelain figure of Columbine, made at the Saint James’s Factory in the mid-18th century. Though small, its making involved significant labor. The porcelain itself, a carefully mixed clay fired at high temperatures, mimics the whiteness of true, or hard-paste, porcelain from China, which was much sought after at the time. The figure’s delicate features and colorful costume were hand-painted with metallic oxides, requiring great skill. Notice the detail of her harlequin dress and the tiny flowers on her skirt. These details are a testament to the artistry involved, which was a point of pride for European manufacturers, keen to compete with imports from the East. The figure's small size and the addition of a metal loop at the top suggests it may have been designed as a fob or pendant. Such porcelain figures weren’t just art objects; they were also commodities, emblems of status and taste in an era defined by trade and aspiring to luxury. Appreciating the materials, making, and social context of this Columbine figure allows us to consider the hierarchies of production and consumption in 18th-century Europe.