England, Chelsea, mid-18th century / c. 1760
Pairs of Figures from the Four Continents
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Pairs of Figures from the Four Continents as ceramic (England, Chelsea, mid-18th century · c. 1760).
Figural representations of the four continents date back to the 1500s, but such imagery became even more popular in the 1700s as European empires expanded.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as soft-paste porcelain and credits Chelsea Porcelain Factory (Britain, London, 1745–84).
The museum's collection notes: Often collected by wealthy British merchants who were beneficiaries of colonial expansion, figural groups were frequently part of elaborate table decorations meant to signify wealth and global prominence. In one pair, Europe is seen holding an orb and wearing a crown as queen of the world, suggesting Europe’s supremacy over the other continents. She is entangled with America, who is wearing feathers with a bow and arrow at her feet. Africa, who wears an elephant headdress and holds a scorpion in one hand, wrestles with Asia, who is surrounded by perfumes and native fruits. Today we recognize these depictions of America, Africa, and Asia as ra
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The Cleveland Museum of ArtPairs of Figures from the Four ContinentsOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.