Tile
ca. 1875–85
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
12 x 6 in. (30.5 x 15.2 cm)
Classification
Tile
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert A. Ellison Jr., 2018
Accession Number
2018.294.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite earthenware tile, crafted by the Chelsea Keramic Works under Hugh C. Robertson around 1875–85, exemplifies the burgeoning American art pottery movement. Robertson, a pioneering ceramicist, founded the Chelsea in Massachusetts in 1872, where he experimented with glazes and high-fired bodies inspired by European and Asian traditions. Measuring 12 x 6 inches, this rectangular tile was likely produced for architectural or fireplace use, reflecting the era's fascination with decorative arts amid the Aesthetic Movement's emphasis on beauty in everyday objects. Chelsea Keramic's tiles...