Description:
English creamware press-molded figure group of a classically-draped Venus (also known as Charity) standing with her right hand clutching a pair of lovebirds against her breast; her left arm at her side holding the extended left hand of Cupid who is standing by her feet and holding a bow against his chest with his left hand; a dolphin pressing against her lower right side with most of its molded body and tail scrolling up the back of the figure; and a square base with a glazed, hollow interior. An integral part of the construction, the interior of the base has a vertical line up each of the corners, which Towner thought was used to remove excess clay and prevent a firing crack, and was only used at Leeds. Versions of these Venus figures, which were also sometimes called "Charity," were also produced in plain and decorated pearlware. This Venus figurine is much better molded than than the smaller Venus figuine (HD 2006.33.106.2) which was reproduced by the Seniors family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and named "Charity" by W.W. Slee in his 1913 sales catalogue. See Peter Walton, "Creamware and other English Pottery at Temple Newsam House Leeds" (Manningham Press, 1976), p. 162, #676, pp. 167, 171, #696, p. pp. 221-223, #938-940; Leslie Grigsby, "The Henry H. Weldon Collection English Pottery Stoneware and Earthenware, 1650-1800" (London: Philip Wilson Publishers for Sotheby’s Publications, 1990), pp. 457-458, #29; John D. Griffin, "The Leeds Pottery, 1770-1881" (City Art Gallery, The Leeds Art Collections Fund, 2005), Vol. I, pp. 219-223, esp. p. 223, #317-319, Vol. II, p. 613, #1075, p. 623, #1121 - 513; Donald Towner, "The Leeds Pottery" (London: Cory, Adams & Mackey, 1963), p. 44, Plate 40; Pat Halfpenny, "English Earthenware Figures, 1740-1840" (Antique Collector's Club, 1991), pp. 174, 290, #513; John and Griselda Lewis, "Pratt Ware" (Eng: Antique Collectors' Club, 1993), p. 64; Bernard Rackham, "The Glaisher Collection of Pottery & Porcelain" (Cambridge University Press, 1935), Vol I, pp. 72-73, 116, #870, Vol II, Plate 64B, #870.
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