Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Dish

1883 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Earthenware dish painted with a 3/4 profile portrait ofthe British Designer and architect Owen Jones against a green, patterned background in the centre, the rim decoration with crowns, strawberries, flowers and scrolling leaves against a blue background. The reverse painted with circles, zig-zags etc. in green, blue and yellow in the manner of 16th C. Gubbio maiolica.

Delve deeper

Discover more about this object
read Owen Jones and the Grammar of Ornament Owen Jones (1809 – 74) was a versatile architect and designer, and one of the most influential design theorists of the 19th century. In his search for a unique modern style, Jones looked to the Islamic world for inspiration.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Earthenware, tin-glazed and painted with enamel colours
Brief description
Dish of earthenware, decorated with a portrait of Owen Jones, hand-painted enamels, made by Torquato Castellani, Italy, c.1883.
Physical description
Earthenware dish painted with a 3/4 profile portrait ofthe British Designer and architect Owen Jones against a green, patterned background in the centre, the rim decoration with crowns, strawberries, flowers and scrolling leaves against a blue background. The reverse painted with circles, zig-zags etc. in green, blue and yellow in the manner of 16th C. Gubbio maiolica.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 45.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Owen Jones Principe dell'ornamente', a cross and 'Fatto in Bottega di Maestro Torquato Castellani Roma Aprile 1883' (painted)
Object history
Historical significance: Torquato Castellani (1846-after 1889) was a grandson of the goldsmith Fortunato Pio Castellani and son of Alessandro, a collector of ceramics whose collection was sold in 1884. Torquato produced ceramics with decoration based on renaissance Italian maiolica techniques and styles but he also made original work. He had workshops in Rome and Pesaro and is known to have visited Paris and London. He made large architectural ceramics for the Kunstgewerbemuseum, Berlin. Owen Jones (1809-74), the subject of the decoration on this dish, was a designer himself and also the compiler, author and printer of many handbooks on historic architectural designs and patterns, the most celebrated of which are the 'Plans, Details and Sections of the Alhambra' (1836-45) and 'The Grammar of Ornament' (1856). Jones was joint architect (with Joseph Paxton) of the 'Crystal Palace', the building of glass and cast iron for the Great Exhibition of All Nations, London, 1851
Collection
Accession number
C.9-1995

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMarch 9, 1999
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest