Seven Designs for Decorated Plates 1845 - 1855

Editor: We are looking at "Seven Designs for Decorated Plates," dating from 1845 to 1855, created by Alfred Henry Forrester, residing at The Met. These designs, in colored pencil and watercolor, feel surprisingly modern given their age, particularly the purple and gold one at the bottom! What do you see when you look at this sheet? Curator: What strikes me is how these designs reflect the 19th-century fascination with historical styles. The burgeoning middle class wanted to emulate aristocratic tastes. Did that democratization affect design choices? Editor: Absolutely. Mass production allowed for wider access to these kinds of designs, shaping trends. How did institutions play a role? Curator: Museums and design schools acted as arbiters of taste. Consider the South Kensington Museum—now the V&A—which heavily promoted certain aesthetic principles. How would designs like these have been disseminated to the public? Editor: Likely through illustrated publications, readily available and catering to various tastes. It's interesting to see the eclectic mix of influences—a bit of Rococo revival, some Orientalism, wouldn’t you agree? Curator: Precisely! This reveals the complex negotiations between artistic expression, industrial production, and societal aspirations. One design element suggests luxury, yet these were intended for everyday objects. Where else do we see such social tensions reflected in art of this era? Editor: Think about the Pre-Raphaelites, trying to reclaim a sense of craft and artistry against the backdrop of industrialization! I’ve never considered decorative art in this way before – thinking about its role in democratizing taste. Curator: It shows the pervasive impact of social and cultural forces on all artistic production, even something as seemingly simple as plate designs.