Vase
c. 1885
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
28.9 × 37.2 × 31.5 cm (11 3/8 × 14 5/8 × 12 3/8 in.)
Classification
vase
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
63523
Art Historical Context
This striking vase, created around 1885 by William De Morgan, exemplifies the innovative spirit of the British Arts and Crafts movement. De Morgan, a ceramicist of his time, drew inspiration from historic Islamic and Renaissance pottery traditions while embracing handcrafted techniques in an era of growing industrialization. The piece’s substantial scale—nearly a foot tall and wide—suggests it was designed as a statement object for a refined domestic interior. Crafted in tin-glazed earthenware, the vase highlights a technique prized for its smooth white surface, which allowed artists to apply...