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Throwers at work

Design
ca. 1893 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is the fourth drawing from a series of twelve watercolours which show the manufacturing processes of Doulton's Lambeth pottery works by William Rowe about 1893. In this drawing, throwers are either working in pairs or working alone to shape soft clay with their hands and the assistance of potter's wheels. On the ground near the line marked '5' lies a piece of failure. On the wall, calibration tools are hung. To the right, a man is checking quality of a finished piece. Above the drawing, the painter indicated, in pencil, that the process represented was that of 'throwers at work'.

This drawing, along with other drawings in the series, provide a unique insight into the workings of the Lambeth factory. They not only depict processes from digging, grinding and purifying clay, to modelling, decorating, glazing and firing the finished piece, but also include portraits of Doulton's most important and influential designers and craftsmen, such as the Barlow sisters and Mark Marshall.

The set of drawings remained in the archives of the factory for many years until the dispersal of the Doulton material, when they were bought by the collectors of art pottery, Allen Harriman and Edward Judd. The designs seem not to have been executed in ceramic form as panels or a frieze as intended. However, it is recorded that a set of full-scale drawings was made and displayed at the Chicago exhibition in 1893 and were later purchased by Northwestern University Guild.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThrowers at work (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pencil and watercolour on paper
Brief description
A watercolour drawing for Doulton's Lambeth pottery works by William Rowe circa 1893.
Physical description
This is the fourth drawing from a series of twelve watercolours which show the processes of Doulton's Lambeth pottery works by William Rowe circa 1893. In this drawing, throwers are either working in pairs or working alone to shape soft clay with their hands and the assistance of potter's wheels. On the ground near the line marked '5' lies a piece of failure. On the wall, calibration tools are hung. To the right, a man is checking the quality of a finished piece. Above the drawing, the painter indicated, in pencil, that the process represented was that of 'throwers at work'.
Dimensions
  • Drawing height: 10.5cm
  • Drawing width: 26.7cm
  • Sheet height: 19.5cm
  • Sheet width: 36.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Throwers at work.' (In pencil at the top side of paper)
  • '4' (In pencil at the bottom right side of paper. This indicates that the watercolour is no.4 in the series of 12 watercolours that illustrate the manufacturing processes of Doulton's Lambeth pottery works.)
  • 'Scale 1 1/3" to the foot.' (In pencil at the top right side of paper)
  • '2'-9"' (In pencil to the left of the drawing)
  • '1 2 3 4 5 6 7' (In pencil below the drawing)
Credit line
Supported by the Friends of the V&A
Object history
This drawing, along with other drawings in the set, remained in the archives of Doulton's Lambeth factory for many years until the dispersal of the Doulton material, when they were bought by the distinguished collectors of art pottery, Allen Harriman and Edward Judd. The designs seem not to have been executed in ceramic form as panels or a frieze as intended. However, it is recorded that a set of full-scale drawings was made and displayed at the Chicago exhibition in 1893 and were later purchased by Northwestern University Guild.

Historical significance: This remarkable series provides a unique insight into the workings of the Lambeth factory. There is almost no other visual documentation from this time.
Historical context
Doulton was one of the greatest English potteries founded in the 19th century. It encouraged workers, men and women, to sign their work and give the objects more of an individual and less of a factory feel. These watercolours by William Rowe appear to include portraits of Doulton's most important and influential designers and craftsmen, such as the Barlow sisters and Mark Marshall. William Rowe himself also occasionally worked at Lambeth, and it is possible that one of these drawings might include his own portrait. The Lambeth pottery works depicted in these drawings show that factory life has shifted from 'dark satanic mill' horrors to light and airy atmosphere. Part of Doulton's Lambeth factory still survives in Lambeth on Black Prince Road.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Associations
Summary
This is the fourth drawing from a series of twelve watercolours which show the manufacturing processes of Doulton's Lambeth pottery works by William Rowe about 1893. In this drawing, throwers are either working in pairs or working alone to shape soft clay with their hands and the assistance of potter's wheels. On the ground near the line marked '5' lies a piece of failure. On the wall, calibration tools are hung. To the right, a man is checking quality of a finished piece. Above the drawing, the painter indicated, in pencil, that the process represented was that of 'throwers at work'.

This drawing, along with other drawings in the series, provide a unique insight into the workings of the Lambeth factory. They not only depict processes from digging, grinding and purifying clay, to modelling, decorating, glazing and firing the finished piece, but also include portraits of Doulton's most important and influential designers and craftsmen, such as the Barlow sisters and Mark Marshall.

The set of drawings remained in the archives of the factory for many years until the dispersal of the Doulton material, when they were bought by the collectors of art pottery, Allen Harriman and Edward Judd. The designs seem not to have been executed in ceramic form as panels or a frieze as intended. However, it is recorded that a set of full-scale drawings was made and displayed at the Chicago exhibition in 1893 and were later purchased by Northwestern University Guild.
Collection
Accession number
E.919-2002

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Record createdJune 1, 2006
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