Schotel van hardgebakken aardewerk met een bruine transfer als decoratie c. 1831s

This earthenware dish, decorated with brown transferware, was made by Southwick Pottery. The central portrait, framed by a crown and leafy garlands, may depict a figure of authority, surrounded by heraldic symbols. The choice of imagery likely reflects the complex interplay of power, identity, and social status in the society that produced this piece. Dishes like this would have been part of the fabric of everyday life, and, at the same time, acted as quiet pronouncements of social standing. This domestic object might seem like a simple piece of tableware, but, it subtly reinforces a hierarchy, offering a glimpse into the values and structures of the time. Consider how such an object might have been used, and what it meant for those who ate from it, or even washed it, in relation to their place in society. It's a reminder of the intricate ways that art and life were, and still are, deeply intertwined.