Success to the British Fisheries
Plaque
1750-1751 (made)
1750-1751 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This plaque is thought to be the result of early experiments in transferring printed designs onto enamels. The powdery appearance of the print outlines and overpainting point to a process not fully mastered. The subject-matter of the design also indicates a likely date of late 1750 or early 1751. Only a few years later, the technique was to be perfected on enamels, porcelain and tiles at factories in London, Liverpool and the Midlands. Its development was rapid, for factory owners could see the economic advantage of being able to decorate wares much more easily and quickly than was the case with hand-painting.
Subjects Depicted
The plaque commemorates the foundation by Royal Charter of the 'Free British Fishery Society' or British Herring Fishery Company, on 25 October 1750. Frederick, Prince of Wales (who died in 1751), was the society's first governor, followed by George III. A gentleman, perhaps the Prince of Wales, and lady watch three Englishmen pack herring into barrels. Two Dutchmen look dejected at their loss of trade. Above a banner proclaiming 'Success to the British Fishery' is the zodiac sign of Pisces, and below are a crossed paddle and trident. This design is one of a group of stylistically similar overpainted transfer-prints on 1750s Birmingham enamels, all inspired by the work of French painters such as Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721).
People
Louis-Philippe Boitard (active 1733-1763), a freelance book illustrator and engraver from Paris, moved to London in 1735 and was recorded as living in Lambeth Marsh in 1751. He gained notoriety for pirating Hogarth's set of prints The Rake's Progress, reducing it to a single print. His prints were used for Bow and Worcester porcelain as well as Birmingham enamels.
Place
It used to be thought that this plaque was decorated at the Battersea enamel factory (in existence, 1753-1756), but the imperfect transfer of the print, combined with the topicality of the subject in 1750/51 mitigate against this. Transfer-printing was being perfected on Birmingham enamels in the years preceding the commencement of work at Battersea. Birmingham links with Battersea were strong, though, with John Brooks (active about 1730-1756), who claimed to have invented transfer-printing, moving from Birmingham to become a partner of the Battersea concern.
This plaque is thought to be the result of early experiments in transferring printed designs onto enamels. The powdery appearance of the print outlines and overpainting point to a process not fully mastered. The subject-matter of the design also indicates a likely date of late 1750 or early 1751. Only a few years later, the technique was to be perfected on enamels, porcelain and tiles at factories in London, Liverpool and the Midlands. Its development was rapid, for factory owners could see the economic advantage of being able to decorate wares much more easily and quickly than was the case with hand-painting.
Subjects Depicted
The plaque commemorates the foundation by Royal Charter of the 'Free British Fishery Society' or British Herring Fishery Company, on 25 October 1750. Frederick, Prince of Wales (who died in 1751), was the society's first governor, followed by George III. A gentleman, perhaps the Prince of Wales, and lady watch three Englishmen pack herring into barrels. Two Dutchmen look dejected at their loss of trade. Above a banner proclaiming 'Success to the British Fishery' is the zodiac sign of Pisces, and below are a crossed paddle and trident. This design is one of a group of stylistically similar overpainted transfer-prints on 1750s Birmingham enamels, all inspired by the work of French painters such as Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721).
People
Louis-Philippe Boitard (active 1733-1763), a freelance book illustrator and engraver from Paris, moved to London in 1735 and was recorded as living in Lambeth Marsh in 1751. He gained notoriety for pirating Hogarth's set of prints The Rake's Progress, reducing it to a single print. His prints were used for Bow and Worcester porcelain as well as Birmingham enamels.
Place
It used to be thought that this plaque was decorated at the Battersea enamel factory (in existence, 1753-1756), but the imperfect transfer of the print, combined with the topicality of the subject in 1750/51 mitigate against this. Transfer-printing was being perfected on Birmingham enamels in the years preceding the commencement of work at Battersea. Birmingham links with Battersea were strong, though, with John Brooks (active about 1730-1756), who claimed to have invented transfer-printing, moving from Birmingham to become a partner of the Battersea concern.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Success to the British Fisheries (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | White enamel on copper, transfer-printed in red, completed with red painted detail, mounted in a gilt-metal frame |
| Brief description | Rectangular plaque, Success to the British Fisheries, enamel on copper, transfer-printed in red with some over-painting in red, commemorating the founding of the Free British Fishery Society, mounted in a gilt metal frame with an ornamental suspension hook. Designed and engraved by Louis P. Boitard (active 1733-63) in Birmingham, 1750-51. |
| Physical description | Rectangular plaque, enamel on copper, transfer-printed in red with some over-painting in red, commemorating the foundation of the Free British Fishery Society. A gentleman, perhaps Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-1751), and a lady are seen in the middle of the scene. They watch three men packing fish into kegs which will be stacked with others on shelves in a building to the right. A figure stands beside a ruined colonnade to the right. To the left are two Dutch fishermen in attitudes of lamentation. Two ships are shown to the left on the sea in the background. Between trees to left and right of the scene is hung a ribbon inscribed ‘Success to the British Fishery’, with the zodiacal sign Pisces (the Fish) surrounded by rays in the middle. In the foreground are two swans by plants on the edge of some water. In the centre of the opposite bank lie a paddle crossed with a trident. Mounted in a gilt metal frame with ornamental suspension hook. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This plaque is one of the earliest examples of the decoration of enamel with images transferred from an engraved printing plate. The technique was probably developed in Birmingham. It became especially associated with the enamel factory at Battersea in London established by 1753. The Free British Fishery Society, set up to combat the Dutch trade, was founded in 1750.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Lady Charlotte Schreiber |
| Summary | Object Type This plaque is thought to be the result of early experiments in transferring printed designs onto enamels. The powdery appearance of the print outlines and overpainting point to a process not fully mastered. The subject-matter of the design also indicates a likely date of late 1750 or early 1751. Only a few years later, the technique was to be perfected on enamels, porcelain and tiles at factories in London, Liverpool and the Midlands. Its development was rapid, for factory owners could see the economic advantage of being able to decorate wares much more easily and quickly than was the case with hand-painting. Subjects Depicted The plaque commemorates the foundation by Royal Charter of the 'Free British Fishery Society' or British Herring Fishery Company, on 25 October 1750. Frederick, Prince of Wales (who died in 1751), was the society's first governor, followed by George III. A gentleman, perhaps the Prince of Wales, and lady watch three Englishmen pack herring into barrels. Two Dutchmen look dejected at their loss of trade. Above a banner proclaiming 'Success to the British Fishery' is the zodiac sign of Pisces, and below are a crossed paddle and trident. This design is one of a group of stylistically similar overpainted transfer-prints on 1750s Birmingham enamels, all inspired by the work of French painters such as Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). People Louis-Philippe Boitard (active 1733-1763), a freelance book illustrator and engraver from Paris, moved to London in 1735 and was recorded as living in Lambeth Marsh in 1751. He gained notoriety for pirating Hogarth's set of prints The Rake's Progress, reducing it to a single print. His prints were used for Bow and Worcester porcelain as well as Birmingham enamels. Place It used to be thought that this plaque was decorated at the Battersea enamel factory (in existence, 1753-1756), but the imperfect transfer of the print, combined with the topicality of the subject in 1750/51 mitigate against this. Transfer-printing was being perfected on Birmingham enamels in the years preceding the commencement of work at Battersea. Birmingham links with Battersea were strong, though, with John Brooks (active about 1730-1756), who claimed to have invented transfer-printing, moving from Birmingham to become a partner of the Battersea concern. |
| Other number | Sch.III 64 - Schreiber number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 414:1443-1885 |
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| Record created | April 8, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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