Meat Dish
1871 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Large meat dishes offered ceramic manufacturers the opportunity to use a splendid pattern on a large scale. Such dishes were the most impressive pieces of a dinner service, as they were intended for the most expensive course in a dinner of many courses.
Social class
This dish has a bold, skilfully drawn and naturalistic decoration of an iris. This has been printed, but is enriched with gilding. The gilding, combined with the prestigious name of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons as the maker, would have made the dish attractive to the newly prosperous middle class.
Materials & Making
Pearlware is a type of earthenware introduced by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons in 1779 as an improvement to its 'Queen's Ware' (creamware). This new body included a greater proportion of flint and white clay, and the glaze contained a trace of cobalt oxide which gave the body a bluish-white colour. This meant it looked similar to the more expensive bone china, a form of porcelain. Eventually technology improved so that the body itself was whiter, and no longer needed the bluish glaze to enhance it. Like other factories, Wedgwood maintained a hierarchy of patterns, bodies and shapes. 'Best' patterns were usually printed on 'Best' shapes made from a 'Pearl' body and dipped in a 'Pearl' glaze. The word 'Pearl' or the letter 'P' was often impressed into Pearlware pieces.
Large meat dishes offered ceramic manufacturers the opportunity to use a splendid pattern on a large scale. Such dishes were the most impressive pieces of a dinner service, as they were intended for the most expensive course in a dinner of many courses.
Social class
This dish has a bold, skilfully drawn and naturalistic decoration of an iris. This has been printed, but is enriched with gilding. The gilding, combined with the prestigious name of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons as the maker, would have made the dish attractive to the newly prosperous middle class.
Materials & Making
Pearlware is a type of earthenware introduced by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons in 1779 as an improvement to its 'Queen's Ware' (creamware). This new body included a greater proportion of flint and white clay, and the glaze contained a trace of cobalt oxide which gave the body a bluish-white colour. This meant it looked similar to the more expensive bone china, a form of porcelain. Eventually technology improved so that the body itself was whiter, and no longer needed the bluish glaze to enhance it. Like other factories, Wedgwood maintained a hierarchy of patterns, bodies and shapes. 'Best' patterns were usually printed on 'Best' shapes made from a 'Pearl' body and dipped in a 'Pearl' glaze. The word 'Pearl' or the letter 'P' was often impressed into Pearlware pieces.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Earthenware (Pearlware), transfer-printed and gilded |
| Brief description | Earthenware meat dish, made by Wedgwood, 1870. |
| Physical description | Oval meat dish, printed in grey-blue with large central depiction of an iris with other smaller flowers strewn in background, picked out in gilding and with gilt rim |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'LEEDS' with cross, printed, and impressed with the mark 'WEDGWOOD,' 'P' for Pearlware, '5192' in gilding, 'D17' and date letter for 1871 |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
Large meat dishes, often with a well for the meat juices, were an important element of the dinner service. On these dishes the expensive joints of meat could be displayed to guests before the host carved and served individual portions.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Mr. Peter Risk |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Large meat dishes offered ceramic manufacturers the opportunity to use a splendid pattern on a large scale. Such dishes were the most impressive pieces of a dinner service, as they were intended for the most expensive course in a dinner of many courses. Social class This dish has a bold, skilfully drawn and naturalistic decoration of an iris. This has been printed, but is enriched with gilding. The gilding, combined with the prestigious name of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons as the maker, would have made the dish attractive to the newly prosperous middle class. Materials & Making Pearlware is a type of earthenware introduced by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons in 1779 as an improvement to its 'Queen's Ware' (creamware). This new body included a greater proportion of flint and white clay, and the glaze contained a trace of cobalt oxide which gave the body a bluish-white colour. This meant it looked similar to the more expensive bone china, a form of porcelain. Eventually technology improved so that the body itself was whiter, and no longer needed the bluish glaze to enhance it. Like other factories, Wedgwood maintained a hierarchy of patterns, bodies and shapes. 'Best' patterns were usually printed on 'Best' shapes made from a 'Pearl' body and dipped in a 'Pearl' glaze. The word 'Pearl' or the letter 'P' was often impressed into Pearlware pieces. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.110-2000 |
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| Record created | November 10, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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