Head of Pierrot 1753 - 1764

This is a porcelain head of Pierrot, made at the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory in England during the mid-18th century. It’s a delicate object, and the figure it represents—Pierrot—was a stock character in the popular entertainment of the period. Pierrot was a commedia dell'arte character, often portrayed as a sad clown, longing for love. By the 1700s, this character had migrated from the streets and theaters into high culture, becoming a favorite subject for paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. As with the commedia dell’arte characters, Pierrot allowed a commentary on social structures and political life. Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory catered to the wealthy elite, who sought luxury items like this one. The craze for porcelain, along with the figure of Pierrot, speaks to a society fascinated by spectacle, emotion, and, of course, status. To understand this piece fully, we delve into theatre history, material culture studies, and social history. The meaning of art is so often found not just in the object itself, but in the world that produced and consumed it.