Bisque figurine of a Boer War soldier - 'A Gentleman in Kharki'
c. 1900Bisque porcelain figurine of a wounded Boer War soldier. He has a white bandage around his head and his pith helmet is upturned between his feet.
He is wearing his uniform, Sam Browne belt, webbing, puttees and boots. His arms as positioned as though holding a rifle, but this is missing.
On the reverse of the figurine is his small pack, water bottle and entrenching tool. He is leaning on a wooden fence.
The figurine is mainly painted in muted colours. He has rosy cheeks and red lips, pale brown hair and darker brown eyebrows and moustache. The title 'A gentleman in kharki' is embossed on the front of the base and has been gone over in black, although much has worn off. The head has also broken off and been reattached with glue. There is a chip off the inside of the pith helmet.
There is a maker's mark and number on the bottom of the reverse. There is a number painted in red on the inside of the white base.
This figurine is one of the many souvenirs which depicted the image of the wounded British soldier from Richard Caton Woodville's painting 'A Gentleman in Kharki (Khaki)'. The image was widely used during the Boer War and was often combined with the first verse and chorus of Rudyard Kipling's poem 'The Absent Minded Beggar'. The poem and painting were both created to honour the common British soldier. The poem, set to the music of Sir Arthur Sullivan, was used as a rousing patriotic song to encourage public support for, and contribution to, the war effort.
The rifle which came with the figurine was made from metal and not part of the porcelain. Most have been separated from the figurines in the intervening century or more.
Details
Details
On base of figurine:
"A gentleman in kharki"
On reverse of base:
"15" and the letter C with two vertical lines through it.
On inside of underneath of base:
"9 11"
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