Plate
ca. 1820–ca. 1846
Medium
Earthenware, transfer-printed
Dimensions
Diam. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 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
14.102.130
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant earthenware plate, produced by the renowned British firm Enoch Wood & Sons between 1820 and 1846, exemplifies the popular transfer-printed ceramics exported to the American market. 9½ inches in diameter, it features intricate designs of buildings—likely iconic American structures—rendered in vibrant underglaze colors. Staffordshire potteries like Wood's dominated this trade, supplying affordable yet refined tableware to a growing U.S. middle class eager for stylish dining. Transfer-printing, the plate's key technique, revolutionized ceramics production in the early 19th century. ...