Panel of ceramic tiles designed by Morris and produced by William De Morgan 1876

Curator: What a mesmerising pattern; it's the kind of design that makes you want to peel it off the wall and keep it for yourself! Editor: Indeed! This panel of ceramic tiles was designed by William Morris, produced by William De Morgan, dating back to 1876. Look closely at the meticulous handwork applied to each individual tile; considering their context—the Arts and Crafts Movement—such production underlines a dedication to handcrafted quality versus mass-produced, industrial wares. Curator: It's charming, truly. It speaks of quiet, contemplative hands carefully laying paint or glaze to render these botanicals. It does have a kind of sombre air though, wouldn't you agree? Not dour, necessarily, but there's an elegiac tone... Editor: Well, the somber effect may lie within its manufacturing conditions and use; such aestheticism was typically commissioned for affluent homes, even while Morris and De Morgan championed reform for the working classes from whose labor such items benefited. What a contradiction, to celebrate the working class while simultaneously feeding into capitalist structures of patronage. Curator: Yes, that tension is palpable. And thinking of the process, it would have been so labour-intensive! To envision a whole wall covered like this, it is hard to see the people doing this labor and not their product as the outcome. And look closely – no two tiles are exactly identical! It's the small inconsistencies, the delightful irregularities that show that human involvement is so critical for craft pieces of that kind. You wouldn't see it today. It adds an unparalleled layer of meaning and appeal to art for art’s sake that now serves utility and value at once. Editor: A really thought-provoking contribution, thank you! Curator: The pleasure was all mine. A marvelous piece indeed.