The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-02-02
PRETTY POLL
IN PORCELAIN
"Cheyne Figures" Blossom Again in
old Chelsea - Whole "Begsars
Opera" Company Done for the
London Museum.
BY C. X. CUM MING

Miss Gwendolen Parnells studio in
Chelsea the other day, 1 just missed
the whole caste of 1.-THE Beggar's
Opera, who had come over from
Hammersmith to see themselves in
China. If they still had any doubt of
their irresistible attraction after the
way in which London has taken them
to it's heart, all doubt must have been
removed by the sight of the Cheyne
figures, in which Miss ParneI has
immortalized their charms.
There they are to the life. the whole
gay company, bewitching little fig
ures between six and seven inches
high: Polly Peachun" delicious
creature) in rose-pink gown, blue
shoes and dainty cap, carrying two
glasses of cordial on a tiny tray; gal
liant Captain Macheath" in scarlet
coat, flowing ruffles, and superb full
bottomed wig, in the very act Of
throwing q kiss; Mistress Peachum"
in black dress and green feather all
complete, clasping the comforting cor
dial in her hand; Lucy Lockit" in
her high panniered, yellow satin gown
as she glides across the stage, bearing
triumphantly aloft the lantern and
the Newgate key; mfr. Peachum" in
his dressing gown, Jenny Diver in
most misleading Quaker gray, and all
the other creations of Gays genius in
| their latest presentation.
And what amazing portrait studies
they are OF the Hammersmith orig
| mails. though the latter were never
| conscious OF the artist at work. Pollys
demure archness, Macheath's iaunty
effrontery Mistress Peachums spdritu-
| -
Unlike the simpering nymphs and
shepherdesses of a. earlier day, these
''rogues in porcelain" are full of char
acter and verve. The detail work is
wonderful-every line of frill and fur
below, of wandering curl and united
shoelace eXquis'tely finished
There was famous Chelsea china in
the eighteenth century and the site
of the pottery was not far distant
from the place where Miss Parnelrs
pottery now stands. And though
there is actually no real continuity of
fact there is real continuity of spirit,
because in atmosphere and spirit Miss
ParnelPs art belongs entirely to the
eighteenth century. Besides THE Beg
gar's Opera" galaxy, there are dis
played in this exhibition several Good
HUNDRED Ladies" from the Russian
ballet. in pale yellow frocks with diff
ferent colored ribbons, pirouetting on
the very tips of their dainty toes,
and there are other little ladies of
the ianguishing type, be-flounc-
ed and rosebud shawled with coquet-
fish straw bonnets tied under their
chins, and carrying little reticules.
Miss Parnell can go further back
than the eighteenth century for her
Observation-Disclosures the figure of
King Henry the Eighth in this collec-
ton. But the twentieth century is
alien 10 her. There is a story that
she was once asked to model Lord
Kitchener, but nothing would come,
and she soon gave the undertaking
up as hopeless.
Her first figure was modelled early
in the war, by means of an ivory pa
per knife and a hair-pin. Even today.
she told me, the hair-pin remains her
favorite implement, but with the
great expansion of her work and her
eight assistants looking on, she dare
not for very shame make use of it.
The initial impetus was given by a
governmental desire to see what could
bs done in the way of competition
with the Dresden factories. Miss Par
nell pointed out to me the way in
which her figures, unlike those which
lean against a convenient tree or flow
er-covered stump. are supported by
their slender ankles alone.
Her method of creation is to go for
a long walk until the idea takes shape
in her mind when she at once works
out her conception in clay, without
any preliminary drawing. Each lit
tie figure is unique and has no dupn-
cate.
There can be no doubt that 1.-THE
Cheyne Figures" will be greatly
sought after by private collectors for
sheer joy in their beauty as We'll as
the fineness of the work. The Beg
gar's Opera" group has been acquired
for the London museum where it will
delight the public of future genera
tions.