19th Century Bust of Ophelia

A 19th Century parian bust of Ophelia by Copland, the bust has inscribed at the base " W.C Marshall R A Sculpt" "Copeland" "Crystal Palace Art Union" Circa 1850.

Parian ware is a type of bisque porcelain imitating marble. It was developed around 1845 by the Staffordshire pottery manufacturer Mintons, and named after Paros, the Greek island renowned for its fine-textured, white Parian marble, used since antiquity for sculpture. It was also contemporaneously referred to as Statuary Porcelain by Copeland. Parian was essentially designed to imitate carved marble, with the great advantage that it could be prepared in a liquid form and cast in a mould, enabling mass production.

Parian ware was utilised mainly for busts and figurines, and occasionally for dishes and small vases, such as might be carved from marble. Several English factories claimed credit for its development. In 1845, as part of a concerted effort to raise public taste and improve manufactures, the Art Union of London commissioned Copeland to make a series of figures after works by leading contemporary sculptors. Mintons and Wedgwood produced similar wares, also known as "statuary porcelain", parian was initially used for relatively high quality work.

5" x 3" x 11" high.

13cms x 8cms x 28cms high.

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Martlesham Antiques is a family run business and has been trading since 1984. Located in Suffolk just outside Woodbridge, Martlesham Antiques is run from a spacious thatched cottage housing nine large showrooms with a vast adjacent car park.

Specialising in 18th and 19th Century furniture, together with creating custom hand-made furniture which is supplied to various interior designers, trade and the retail market. Every piece on the showroom floor is in excellent condition and ready to go straight into the buyers home or premises.

All of Martlesham Antiques furniture is hand polished by their own French polishers and restorers to a very high standard. We are also a member of LAPADA, the association of art and antiques.