Plate c. 1897

Editor: We’re looking at a ceramic earthenware plate, circa 1897, crafted by Dedham Pottery. The glaze has this fantastic crazed effect all over, and a charming border of blue bunnies. What jumps out to you when you look at this piece? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the interplay between the smooth, controlled curves of the rabbit motifs and the chaotic network of crackles covering the plate's surface. Notice how the artist uses repetition and contrast in color to create a visual rhythm. The cobalt blue against the off-white emphasizes the decorative elements and calls into question function versus pure aesthetic expression. How do you interpret the formal relationship of image to background? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't considered the crazing as part of the design itself, more as a byproduct of the firing. Is it possible that the potter deliberately created the crackled glaze? Curator: Indeed. The crackled glaze, also known as "crackleware," was a conscious artistic choice in this period. It adds textural depth and contributes to the overall aesthetic appeal. It's a conscious incorporation of an "accident" as part of the work's intrinsic character. What effect does this synthesis of accident and control have on you? Editor: I see it now; it lends a sense of age and fragility to what is, essentially, a functional object. Curator: Precisely. The maker is toying with our expectations of utility and beauty, engaging with the idea of wabi-sabi, the beauty of imperfection, well ahead of its broad recognition in Western art. A conscious expression of an object in harmony with subtle irregularities. Editor: That is something I would not have appreciated without this formalist analysis. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Paying attention to composition unlocks fresh perspectives and interpretations.