Plate

Unknown

c. 1790

Plate by Unknown

Medium

Creamware

Dimensions

Diam.: 24.3 cm (9 9/16 in.)

Classification

plate (general, dish)

Department

Arts of the Americas

Museum

Art Institute of Chicago

Accession Number

2761

Art Historical Context

This elegant creamware plate, dating around 1790, offers a glimpse into the refined tableware of late 18th-century households in the Americas. Measuring 9 9/16 inches in diameter, it exemplifies creamware—a creamy white earthenware body coated with a lead-glazed tin oxide that mimics the look of fine porcelain at a more accessible price. Developed in England during the mid-1700s, most famously by Josiah Wedgwood creamware became a staple of transatlantic trade, flooding American markets and influencing local ceramics production. Its presence in the Arts of the Americas collection at the Art I...

About the Artist

Unknown

The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...

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