Plate
Unknown Artist
ca. 1760
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Diameter: 8 15/16 in. (22.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
British, Bristol
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Hans Syz Collection, Gift of Stephan B. Syz and John D. Syz, 1995
Accession Number
1995.268.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant tin-glazed earthenware plate, crafted in Bristol, England around 1760, exemplifies the vibrant ceramic traditions of mid-18th-century Britain. Measuring nearly 9 inches in diameter it hails from a period when Bristol emerged as a key center forftware production—a technique borrowed from Dutch potters, where earthenware coated with a tin-oxide glaze to create a smooth, opaque white surface ideal for bold painted designs. These plates were popular for everyday dining and display in middle-class homes, blending functionality with decorative flair. The artwork's surface bursts with c...