The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 14, 2024

Figure of Britannia

Figure of Britannia

c. 1756
(British, Staffordshire, 1749–60)
(British, 1751–1764)
England, Staffordshire
soft-paste porcelain
Overall: 28 x 24.5 x 13.7 cm (11 x 9 5/8 x 5 3/8 in.)
Bequest of Mary Warden Harkness 1917.626
Location: 203A British Painting and Decorative Arts

Did You Know?

The creation of this triumphant personification of the nation was likely spurred on by Great Britain’s conflict with France in the Seven Years’ War (1756–63).

Description

In this depiction of Britannia, the figure is surrounded by symbols of England’s power and military might. On one side, she and a lion, another symbol of Britain, support a shield adorned with the Union flag. Below it lay motifs associated with war such as armor, a trumpet, and a flag. On her left, Britannia presents a medallion to the viewer as she rests her feet on a globe, a symbol of the nation’s territorial aspirations. The portrait may depict the reigning king, George II (1683–1760), or Prince Frederick Louis (1707–1751), his recently deceased heir.
  • ?-1916
    Mary Warden Harkness [1864-1916], New York, NY, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1917-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • "Bequest of Mrs. Charles W. Harkness." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 4, no. 4 (1917): 63. Mentioned: p. 63 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1925. Mentioned & reproduced: p.11 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1928. Reproduced: p. 10 archive.org
    Milliken, William Mathewson. "European Porcelains Bequeathed by Mary Warden Harkness." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 15, no. 2 (February 1928): 57-59. Mentioned & reproduced: pp. 58-9 25137108
  • British Gallery Reinstallation (June 2020). The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
    The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).
    Art of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 9-December 2, 1934).
  • {{cite web|title=Figure of Britannia|url=false|author=Longton Hall Porcelain Factory, Vauxhall Porcelain Factory|year=c. 1756|access-date=14 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1917.626