Bowl c. 1785

This bowl was made by the Worcester Royal Porcelain Company using a process called transfer printing, which was a popular way to decorate ceramics. The process involves engraving a design onto a copper plate, inking it, and then transferring the image onto paper. This paper is then applied to the surface of the ceramic, and the design is transferred onto the piece. The bowl would have been fired to fix the image, resulting in a monochrome decoration. The landscapes and classical ruins transfer-printed onto this bowl speak to the cultural aspirations of the rising middle class at the time. The scenes are picturesque, evoking a sense of cultivated taste and familiarity with European scenery, bringing an element of high culture into everyday domestic life. This technique allowed for mass production of detailed designs on ceramics, making them more affordable and accessible to a wider audience. It’s a reminder that even seemingly decorative objects carry social and economic meaning.