Plate 1828 - 1838

This plate was made by Job and John Jackson, sometime in the early 1830s. It’s earthenware, decorated with transfer-printed ornament. Earthenware like this was extremely popular at the time, mass-produced for a wide market. The floral decoration and romantic scene are printed on, not hand-painted, a telltale sign of industrial production. But the pink color also points to the hand of the artisan – it’s a beautiful effect, achieved with careful control of the kiln. The plate’s undulating form and decoration are distinctly ornamental. Yet, the means of its production also reflect the rise of industrial capitalism. This was an era when ceramics factories like the Jacksons’ in Staffordshire, England, churned out vast quantities of affordable tableware, transforming dining habits across society. So, next time you look at a seemingly simple object like this, remember that it’s a product of both design and labor. It exemplifies the social and economic forces that have shaped our material world.