Plate
ca. 1770
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Diameter: 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
British, Worcester
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alfred Duane Pell, 1902
Accession Number
02.6.17
Art Historical Context
This elegant plate, produced by the renowned Worcester porcelain factory around 1770 and attributed to the skilled engraver Robert Hancock, exemplifies pinnacle of British ceramic innovation during the 18th century. Measuring 7½ inches in diameter, it is crafted from soft-paste porcelain—a, bone-ash formula that Worcester perfected to rival costly Chinese imports. This medium allowed for delicate translucency and intricate detailing, making high-quality tableware accessible to the growing middle class. Robert Hancock, a pioneer of transfer-printing at Worcester, likely adorned this plate with...
About the Artist
Worcester factory|Robert Hancock · 1751–2008
The Worcester porcelain factory, established in 1751 in Worcester, England, by physician Dr. John Wall and apothecary William Davis along with 14 partners, marked the birth of one of Britain's most enduring ceramic enterprises. Investing £4,500 at Warmstry House on the River Severn, the founders drew on contacts with the Bristol porcelain manufactory to develop a novel soft-paste porcelain using s...