POST MEDIEVAL FIGURINE

1660

Pipeclay Figurine fragment. Moulded and naturalistically modelled figure of a woman dressed in a loose plain smock extending down to below the knee, and with a plain low collar behind the neck. The figure is in an active pose, with left knee raised and right knee bent in forward movement. The left hand pulls down the front of the garment revealing the left breast, while the right hand either squeezes the right breast or perhaps cradles a feeding baby (if the latter, it is now entirely lost). The feet and lower legs of the figure are lost, as is the upper part of the chest, shoulders and head.The style of the figure does not relate to that of Romano-British sculpture, or the stiffness of dea nutrix scenes. Pipeclay Venus figurines are more formulaic in their dress, pose and attributes. Late Medieval depictions of the Virgin and Child include intimate feeding scenes, but for these the status of the Virgin is typically signalled by her regal dress and meditative stillness. If a secular figure, this might represent a shepherdess or similar fabled character. The naturalistic pose and style probably indicate a post-Renaissance date, while either a Puritan or Victorian setting might be unlikely for such a portrayal. Suggested date: Post-Medieval, 1660-1800.Height: 55mm, Width: 25.0mm, Thickness: 27.3mm, Weight: 34.32gms.