Boat-Shaped Dish
c. 1820
Medium
Porcelain with polychrome enamels and gilding
Dimensions
6.7 × 24.9 × 13 cm (2 5/8 × 9 13/16 × 5 1/8 in.)
Classification
dish (vessel)
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
15010
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Art Institute of Chicago's collection of European applied arts, where we encounter the elegant *Boat-Shaped Dish* by the renowned Wedgwood Manuf around 1820. This whimsical porcelain vessel, measuring 6.7 × 24.9 × 13 cm, mimics the form of a sailing boat, complete with delicate sails and rigging rendered in vibrant polychrome enamels and gilding. Wedgwood, founded by Josiah Wedgwood in the 18th century, had by the early 19th century high-quality bone china porcelain, blending functionality with fanciful design for the Regency-era dining table. The dish exemplifies the British c...
About the Artist
Wedgwood Manufactory
Wedgwood Manufactory, founded on 1 May 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood in Burslem, Staffordshire, England, revolutionized ceramics during the Industrial Revolution. Born into a family of potters, Josiah apprenticed under his elder brother Thomas at the Churchyard Works from age 14, mastering traditional techniques before partnering with Thomas Whieldon from 1754 to 1759, where he honed innovative glazes. ...