Title
Figure of Uncle Tom and Little Eva
Label
Figure of Uncle Tom and Little Eva
Made in Staffordshire, England, 1852-1860
Made of Lead-Glazed Earthenware 10.5” tall
Museum Purchase with Funds Provided by W. Groke Mickey
This figure depicts Uncle Tom and Eva, two of the main characters from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s best-selling novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin." They met when they were both traveling to New Orleans via steamboat and he rescued her after she fell overboard. As a result, Eva’s father bought Tom.
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was one of the best-selling American novels of the 19th century. Its illustration of the cruelty of slavery and the humanity of enslaved African Americans “rekindled the slumbering embers of anti-slavery zeal into active flame,” according to Frederick Douglas, and helped turn American opinion in favor of abolition. The novel generated an outpouring of objects, some expensive and aimed at the luxury market, and others quite cheap, like this figure, aimed at people with less income.
Made in Staffordshire, England, 1852-1860
Made of Lead-Glazed Earthenware 10.5” tall
Museum Purchase with Funds Provided by W. Groke Mickey
This figure depicts Uncle Tom and Eva, two of the main characters from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s best-selling novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin." They met when they were both traveling to New Orleans via steamboat and he rescued her after she fell overboard. As a result, Eva’s father bought Tom.
Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was one of the best-selling American novels of the 19th century. Its illustration of the cruelty of slavery and the humanity of enslaved African Americans “rekindled the slumbering embers of anti-slavery zeal into active flame,” according to Frederick Douglas, and helped turn American opinion in favor of abolition. The novel generated an outpouring of objects, some expensive and aimed at the luxury market, and others quite cheap, like this figure, aimed at people with less income.
Credit Line
Museum Purchase with Funds Provided by W. Groke Mickey
Citation
“Figure of Uncle Tom and Little Eva,” Museums at Washington and Lee University: Online Exhibits, accessed May 2, 2024, https://exhibits-museums.omeka.wlu.edu/items/show/195.