Dish
1880-1885 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This dish is one of the most celebrated of De Morgan's ceramics. Like all of his production other than tiles, it was made for show rather than for use. Although De Morgan returned to this image many times and the dish itself was made in Staffordshire, it is a unique work. He bought the dish in as a blank and it was decorated and then re-fired at his own workshop. The plain, rimless shape was especially suitable for elaborate pictorial decoration such as this.
People
William Frend De Morgan (1839-1917) was a friend of William Morris, and designed stained glass and tiles for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. De Morgan established his own company, experimenting first with stained glass and then in the 1860s with ceramic production. He moved workshops from Chelsea to Merton Abbey in Wandsworth, London, and then to nearby Fulham. He spent many years acquiring the expertise to fire lustre glazes in the manner of 14th- and 15th-century ceramics from the Islamic world and Moorish Spain; blue, green and purple were favoured colours, under the same influence. From around 1907, owing to ill-health and changes in fashionable taste, he gradually ceased production and, over the last ten years of his life, he became a highly successful novelist.
This dish is one of the most celebrated of De Morgan's ceramics. Like all of his production other than tiles, it was made for show rather than for use. Although De Morgan returned to this image many times and the dish itself was made in Staffordshire, it is a unique work. He bought the dish in as a blank and it was decorated and then re-fired at his own workshop. The plain, rimless shape was especially suitable for elaborate pictorial decoration such as this.
People
William Frend De Morgan (1839-1917) was a friend of William Morris, and designed stained glass and tiles for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. De Morgan established his own company, experimenting first with stained glass and then in the 1860s with ceramic production. He moved workshops from Chelsea to Merton Abbey in Wandsworth, London, and then to nearby Fulham. He spent many years acquiring the expertise to fire lustre glazes in the manner of 14th- and 15th-century ceramics from the Islamic world and Moorish Spain; blue, green and purple were favoured colours, under the same influence. From around 1907, owing to ill-health and changes in fashionable taste, he gradually ceased production and, over the last ten years of his life, he became a highly successful novelist.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Earthenware, painted in ruby and yellow lustres |
| Brief description | Dish, painted in ruby and yellow lustre with an antelope before an apple tree. English, 1882-88. Designed by William De Morgan. |
| Physical description | Saucer shaped dish painted in ruby and yellow lustres on a white slip, with an antelope standing before an apple tree and two fish in a reserve beneath. The antelope is painted in ruby lustre, and details like the apples on the trees, flowers and other motifs, in yellow lustre. On the reverse side are concentric circles in lustre painting and a border of formalised flowers around the edge. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | '22' (reverse; impressing) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Sydney Vacher |
| Object history | Designed by William De Morgan (born in London, 1839, died there in 1917); the blank made in Staffordshire and decorated at the De Morgan works, probably at Merton Abbey, Wandsworth, London. Exhibited in Japan, 01/10/1992-05/05/1993. Historical significance: The design and technique are based upon a mediaeval Persian dish. The antelope standing against a foliage background by the waters edge is a standard design in Persian lustre wares. |
| Production | The dish is a Staffordshire-made blank (maker unknown), bought in and decorated at the De Morgan pottery |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type This dish is one of the most celebrated of De Morgan's ceramics. Like all of his production other than tiles, it was made for show rather than for use. Although De Morgan returned to this image many times and the dish itself was made in Staffordshire, it is a unique work. He bought the dish in as a blank and it was decorated and then re-fired at his own workshop. The plain, rimless shape was especially suitable for elaborate pictorial decoration such as this. People William Frend De Morgan (1839-1917) was a friend of William Morris, and designed stained glass and tiles for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. De Morgan established his own company, experimenting first with stained glass and then in the 1860s with ceramic production. He moved workshops from Chelsea to Merton Abbey in Wandsworth, London, and then to nearby Fulham. He spent many years acquiring the expertise to fire lustre glazes in the manner of 14th- and 15th-century ceramics from the Islamic world and Moorish Spain; blue, green and purple were favoured colours, under the same influence. From around 1907, owing to ill-health and changes in fashionable taste, he gradually ceased production and, over the last ten years of his life, he became a highly successful novelist. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 832-1905 |
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| Record created | June 22, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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