Set of ceramic figures

Mennecy Porcelain Manufactory

about 1755–1765

Soft-paste porcelain with glaze, Soft-paste porcelain

J. Paul Getty Museum

Two white porcelain figurines of young boys in period clothing stand on rocky bases against a neutral gray background. The white-glazed figures depict two young tradesmen in similar poses with different attributes. Each stands confidently resting his weight on the right leg, left foot forward, head and torso turned to the left, right arm bent up, and left arm slightly arched forward. A cobbler, standing against a rocky outcrop, wears a wide brimmed hat, neckerchief, apron, vented coat, breeches, stockings and a fashionable pair of shoes while holding laces in one hand and a shoe in the other – as if advertising his trade. An itinerant worker, standing against a tree stump, wears a wide-brimmed hat, neckerchief, shirt, coat, loose pants, leggings, an