Summary
Alternative Names: Poonah Figure, Poona Figure
This clay figure of a Hindu Peon or Office Messenger was part of a series of 82 Indian clay figures purchased from Stubb and Co for £9.10 in 1867 by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). The group of figures, which came from Pune (Poonah), represented various castes, occupations and religious sects in India. The NGV Stock book identifies the figure as a 'Peon, or Office Messenger (Hindoo)'.
Physical Description
Figure of a man on a wooden base. The base is painted red turned wood. A paper label is glued to the upper side of the base. The figure is plaster/composition modeled over wooden dowels, it is painted with a dark brown skin tone and is dressed in fabric. His garments consist of a red turban, a white coat, a yellow waist sash, a red sash over his shoulder, and white trousers. He is carrying a folded piece of paper in his right hand and has some white markings on his face.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation (Probable) from Exhibition: 1880 International, Melbourne, 1880
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Place & Date Made
Pune, Maharashtra, India, circa 1867
NGV Stock book gives date range. -
Inscriptions
Printed in black ink on paper label: 35
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Classification
Museum history, Affiliated institutions, Exhibition heritage
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
6 cm (Width), 14.5 cm (Height)
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Keywords
Artistic Practices, Artists, Crafts, Dolls, Handcrafts, Indigenous Cultures, Modelmaking, Museum History, Religions: Hinduism, Sculpture