Bowl

Art Historical Context

This elegant waste bowl, created around 1752–55 by the Chelsea Por Manufactory and decorated by painter Jefferyes Hammett O’Neale, exemplifies the early achievements of British porcelain production. Made of soft-paste porcelain—a delicate, glassy material developed in Europe as alternative to costly imported Chinese-paste—the piece part of a refined tea. Its modest size graceful proportions reflect the growing for tea drinking among’s upper classes during the-eighteenth century. O’Neale, known for his lively narrative scenes, brought artistic sophistication to’s tableware. The factory, established in London in the 1740s, became renowned for its fine modeling and colorful enamel decoration, often drawing inspiration from French and Asian sources. This bowl, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through the generous gift of Irwin Untermyer, offers visitors a glimpse into the technical experimentation and artistic ambition that helped establish England as a major center of European ceramics.

About the Artist

Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory|Jefferyes Hammett O'Neale · 1744–1784

**Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory** The Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory, Britain's pioneering porcelain enterprise, was founded around 1743 in Chelsea, London, by two Huguenot silversmiths: Nicholas Sprimont from Liège and Charles Gouyn. Sprimont, trained in Paris as a goldsmith before immigrating to England, brought his expertise in luxury metalwork to the venture, while Gouyn handled early sales th...