A Staffordshire pearlware figure of a seated gentleman, probably John Wilkes, circa 1780-90


His hands upon his knees and a thoughtful expression upon his face, wearing a brown jacket and bright yellow breeches, the unusual semi-circular base picked out in green and brown, 21cm high
|ProvenanceLeo Kaplan CollectionThe distinctive pose suggests this figure was based on the well-known portrait of Wilkes by William Hogarth published in 1763. A Staffordshire figure apparently from the same source, and with similarities to the present lot, is in the Willet Collection in Brighton, see Lars Tharp, Hogarth's China (1997), p.108, fig.96 and p.106, fig.91 for the Hogarth engraving.