Allegorical Figure of Africa 1770 - 1780

This porcelain figurine, titled "Allegorical Figure of Africa," was created by the Derby Porcelain Manufactory between 1770 and 1780. The piece depicts a black figure standing on a lion with a red crab and a bouquet of flowers. The figure's colorful clothing and jewelry and the lion's playful expression contribute to an overall impression of exoticism, reflecting the popular fascination with Africa in 18th-century Europe. The figurine, now housed at The Art Institute of Chicago, exemplifies the fine craftsmanship of the Derby porcelain factory and the prevalent European colonial attitudes of the time.