The Popish Plot
Tile
1679-1680 (made)
1679-1680 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Although there was demand for wall tiles in 17th-century Britain, it was largely met by imports from The Netherlands. These tiles represent the start of tin-glazed wall tile production in this country. Such tiles were used in a variety of different ways. The most common use was in fireplaces, but occasionally, they seem to have been employed as skirtings, as was popular in The Netherlands. Also, tiles were increasingly used to line the walls of shops, dairies and cold baths.
People
The first English tin-glazed wall tiles comparable to contemporary Dutch products seem to have produced by Jan Ariens van Hamme. He arrived from Delft with his family and 16 workmen in 1676 and established a pottery at Vauxhall in London. A warrant allowed him to produce tiles 'after the way practised in Holland'. These tiles are possibly products of the van Hamme workshop and certainly have a strong Dutch look to them. Van Hamme made an important contribution to tile-making in England, but it was short-lived as he died in 1680.
Propaganda
The tile is one of a set depicting the 'Popish Plot', a fictitious Catholic conspiracy to kill Charles II that the Reverend Titus Oates claimed to have uncovered in 1678. The last of nine scenes, this tile is inscribed: 'Sir William waller burning Popish books, Images, and Reliques'.
Although there was demand for wall tiles in 17th-century Britain, it was largely met by imports from The Netherlands. These tiles represent the start of tin-glazed wall tile production in this country. Such tiles were used in a variety of different ways. The most common use was in fireplaces, but occasionally, they seem to have been employed as skirtings, as was popular in The Netherlands. Also, tiles were increasingly used to line the walls of shops, dairies and cold baths.
People
The first English tin-glazed wall tiles comparable to contemporary Dutch products seem to have produced by Jan Ariens van Hamme. He arrived from Delft with his family and 16 workmen in 1676 and established a pottery at Vauxhall in London. A warrant allowed him to produce tiles 'after the way practised in Holland'. These tiles are possibly products of the van Hamme workshop and certainly have a strong Dutch look to them. Van Hamme made an important contribution to tile-making in England, but it was short-lived as he died in 1680.
Propaganda
The tile is one of a set depicting the 'Popish Plot', a fictitious Catholic conspiracy to kill Charles II that the Reverend Titus Oates claimed to have uncovered in 1678. The last of nine scenes, this tile is inscribed: 'Sir William waller burning Popish books, Images, and Reliques'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Popish Plot (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | Tin-glazed earthenware with painted decoration |
| Brief description | Delftware. 'The Popish Plot' tile, one of nine tiles relating to the Titus Oates conspiracy, possibly made in the factory of Jan Ariens van Hamme, London ca. 1679. |
| Physical description | Tin-glaze earthenware wall tile, one of a set of nine illustrating the history of the Popish Plot (1678), in a circular medallion with formal flowers filling the corners. It is painted in blue with scene described as: 9. 'Sr William waller burning Popish books, Images and Reliques.' |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Pickerin executed' (Decoration; at bottom of tile, incorporated into decoration; painted) |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
These are among the first delftware wall tiles made in Britain. The maker of these tiles saw the Popish Plot as a commercial opportunity. He copied the images on the playing cards (displayed above) onto earthenware tiles. People used tiles to decorate fireplaces, or kitchens and clearly did not think such places unsuitable to commemorate political events.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Lady Charlotte Schreiber |
| Object history | Given by Lady Charlotte Schreiber, 1885. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Although there was demand for wall tiles in 17th-century Britain, it was largely met by imports from The Netherlands. These tiles represent the start of tin-glazed wall tile production in this country. Such tiles were used in a variety of different ways. The most common use was in fireplaces, but occasionally, they seem to have been employed as skirtings, as was popular in The Netherlands. Also, tiles were increasingly used to line the walls of shops, dairies and cold baths. People The first English tin-glazed wall tiles comparable to contemporary Dutch products seem to have produced by Jan Ariens van Hamme. He arrived from Delft with his family and 16 workmen in 1676 and established a pottery at Vauxhall in London. A warrant allowed him to produce tiles 'after the way practised in Holland'. These tiles are possibly products of the van Hamme workshop and certainly have a strong Dutch look to them. Van Hamme made an important contribution to tile-making in England, but it was short-lived as he died in 1680. Propaganda The tile is one of a set depicting the 'Popish Plot', a fictitious Catholic conspiracy to kill Charles II that the Reverend Titus Oates claimed to have uncovered in 1678. The last of nine scenes, this tile is inscribed: 'Sir William waller burning Popish books, Images, and Reliques'. |
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| Bibliographic references |
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| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 414:823/9-1885 |
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| Record created | January 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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