Plate 19th century

This earthenware plate was crafted by James and Ralph Clews, in the early 19th century. The eye is immediately drawn to the central image, bordered by a ring of tiny spheres which create a frame within a frame. The composition contains 3 figures in the foreground, as well as a landscape and floral pattern in the background. The figures are arranged asymmetrically, to the left. The landscape elements such as the tree, distant figures and foliage create a sense of depth. The image draws on cultural codes of romance and chivalry, playing with the idea of a journey or quest through its landscape setting and costumed figures. The central scene seems to float within the plate's design. The plate destabilizes traditional art values and expectations, because it blends decorative and representational art, in a way that is very much grounded in a particular time and place.