Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figures: The Bogey Man

Published 6th September 2012

I guess any patriotic individual would be able recall their country’s ‘war heroes’ and amongst them as an Englishman you would expect Nelson’s defeat of the French Navy at Trafalgar to be near the top of the list.

 

 a-staffordshire-pottery-group-of-the-death-of-nelson

Staffordshire pottery: a portrait group of the Death of Admiral Nelson

Ten years later and the Duke of Wellington did the same to Napoleon’s Army at Waterloo. Deeply ingrained in the nation’s psyche there are plenty of well modelled and brightly coloured Staffordshire figures of both protagonists.

 

 staffordshire-pottery-a-thomas-parr-figure-of-wellington

Staffordshire Pottery: a Thomas Parr figure of Wellington directing the battle at Waterloo

But why did ‘we’ make so many pottery figures of Napoleon Bonaparte? He is found in similar poses to Wellington and even playing the role of reposing intellectual at St Helena. Did we have a begrudging respect for a worthy opponent or was he seen as a bogey man? Can you see a mother pointing to old Boney on the mantelpiece and threatening little Tommy with a French invasion if he didn’t eat his greens?

 

staffordhire-pottery-figures-of-napoleon-bonaparte

Staffordshire Pottery: Napoleon as 'man of letters' whilst at St Helena and more traditionally in uniform.

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