Plate 1807 - 1833

This plate was made by Ralph Stevenson sometime between 1805 and 1832, and it is made of earthenware. The process used to make it was transfer printing, a way of getting an image onto the plate. It starts with an engraved copper plate. That plate is inked, and the image transferred onto thin tissue paper. The paper is then carefully applied to the porous, unfired ceramic surface. When it’s fired, the pattern becomes part of the glaze. The cobalt oxide in the blue ink is heat resistant and stable, making it perfect for this method. The scene depicted on this plate and the border around it, are so detailed and precise because of the transfer process. It was a relatively quick way to get an image onto a ceramic, meaning manufacturers like Stevenson could churn out lots of affordable wares. So, while this plate might seem like a simple object, it's actually a testament to industrialization and the rise of consumer culture. It bridges the gap between mass production and aesthetic design.