Plate 19th century

This plate was made by James and Ralph Clews in the early 19th century from earthenware, decorated using transfer printing. The image in the center shows a picturesque scene with a grand church, probably intended to appeal to a growing middle class with aspirations to gentility. But let’s consider the making: earthenware is a humble material, and transfer printing allowed for mass production, making decorative tableware affordable to a wider market. The floral patterns and scenic view belie the industrial processes at play. This plate represents the commodification of beauty through industrialization. The Clews brothers cleverly combined the appeal of fine art with the efficiency of factory production, blurring the lines between craft and industry, art and commerce. By understanding the material and the making, we can appreciate the social context that shaped its creation.