Height: 30cm (12in)
Date: Mid 20th Century
Made by Sachsische Porzellan Manufaktur Dresden, mid 20th century. The present figure belongs to the series illustrating the uniforms of the British Foot Guards that includes the Grenadier Tambour and Coldstream Jingling-Johnny.
Jean Baptiste (1792-1857) was painted by the French artist Alexandre-Jean Dubois-Drahonet who was commissioned to produce a series of illustrations of military and national uniforms for William IV. Jean Baptiste was born in Guadeloupe and came to England in 1813 aged twenty-two. He joined the Royal Wagon Train, and after five years he joined the 3rd Foot Guards (or Scots Fusilier Guards as they became known after 1831) as their cymbalist. The prevailing Western fascination for the Turkish bands of the elite Janissary infantry, caused many european armies to distinguish their percussion sections with black men uniformed in exotic costumes based on the western idea of Ottoman dress. It was commonly practice for these musicians to make all manner of contortions while playing.
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On the occasion that Jean Baptiste sat to Drahonet, he refused to leave without the painting, causing the artist to make a copy for the King. Jean was discharged in 1841. He was reckonned to be a good soldier but unfit for service due to deafness and debilitation. He was unable to make a decent living and died in the workhouse on 22nd February 1857.
