Plate
ca. 1822–ca. 1834
Medium
Earthenware, transfer-printed
Dimensions
Diam. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)
Classification
Plate
Culture
British (American market)
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mary Mandeville Johnston, from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. S. Johnston, 1914
Accession Number
14.102.196
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant earthenware plate, crafted by the British potters James and Ralph Cle around 1822–1834, exemplifies the booming transatlantic trade in ceramics during the early 19th. Produced in Liverpool, England, for the American market, it the Clews brothers' mastery of transfer-printing—a revolutionary technique that allowed intricate designs to be printed onto tissue paper, transferred to unfired clay, and then glazed and fired. This method democratized decoration, making finely detailed wares affordable for middle-class American households. Adorned with delicate floral motifs and pastoral ...