Vase 1877 - 1885

Editor: Here we have a vase made sometime between 1877 and 1885 by T. J. Wheatley & Company. It’s ceramic, earthenware. It strikes me as almost bursting with life. What draws your eye when you look at it? Curator: Ah, it’s like peering into a glazed Eden, isn't it? The way those blossoms are rendered— almost tactile, practically daring you to pluck them right off. Tell me, do you get a sense of art imitating nature, or nature reborn as art here? I feel they are having a delightful, hushed conversation. Editor: That's a lovely way to put it! I think it's more than imitation; the artist took some liberties. Like, I don’t think flowers sit *quite* like that in the real world. Curator: Precisely! There’s a romantic exaggeration at play. You know, Wheatley & Company were quite taken with the idea of merging art and nature, crafting these almost rebellious flourishes of flora and fauna, poking at Victorian stuffiness. You could say, in a way, this isn’t just a vase; it’s a statement. A quiet riot in bloom! Editor: I hadn't thought of it as a statement, more like decoration. I see the Victorian-era connection better now. Curator: It’s the push-and-pull between the desire for ornamentation and a burgeoning artistic freedom that truly captures my imagination. The vase whispers, "I’m functional, but I’m also a poem!". And now I'm thinking about spring… Editor: I'm glad you explained that because I will view decorative arts with a slightly more discerning eye now.