Plate 1828 - 1838

This earthenware plate was produced in Burslem, England, by Job and John Jackson between 1831 and 1835. Transfer-printed in black, its central image depicts an idealized country estate, complete with elegant figures strolling in the foreground. These decorative plates were not high art, but rather mass-produced consumer items. They found a ready market both at home and abroad, particularly in the burgeoning United States. The imagery promoted an idea of social aspiration: a vision of landed gentry that was becoming increasingly out of reach in rapidly industrializing Britain. The burgeoning middle class, however, could still buy into the dream, quite literally. Historical research into factory records, trade routes, and probate inventories can reveal the complex economic and social networks that brought such images into being, and disseminated their ideological message. Ultimately, a simple plate can offer a window onto the dreams and anxieties of an era.