Dish
William Frend De Morgan (London 1839 - London 1917)
Category
Ceramics
Date
c. 1872 - 1907
Materials
Glazed earthenware decorated in ruby copper lustre
Measurements
36.5 cm (Diameter)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Wightwick Manor, West Midlands
NT 1287188
Caption
William De Morgan (1839–1917), an English artist and ceramic designer working in the late 19th century, was a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement. He experimented with metallic glazes, known as lustre decoration, to create bold, colourful and softly gleaming surfaces on ceramic ware. His work was mainly for decorative use, becoming fashionable in artistic circles, but he did not achieve financial success. He commented that all his life he had tried to ‘make beautiful things, and now that I can … nobody wants them’. He eventually took up writing and became a successful novelist, but his reputation as an innovative designer persists to this day. This large circular dish is inspired by medieval Islamic design and is one of De Morgan’s boldest and most compelling works. It depicts an antelope amid abundant stylised foliage, creating a sense of the animal at ease in its natural habitat. It is part of a large collection of De Morgan’s work at Wightwick Manor in the West Midlands, the home of Theodore Mander (1853–1900) and his wife Flora (1857–1905).
Summary
A William Frend De Morgan (1839-1917) dish painted with an antelope at the water’s edge against a foliage background, circa 1872-1907. Glazed earthenware decorated in [ruby] copper lustre, 36.5cm (Diameter).
Full description
William De Morgan’s tiles, dishes, bowls and vases were made to be enjoyed for their beauty and craftsmanship, and perfectly complemented the interiors of consciously ‘artistic’ homes. De Morgan trained as a fine artist before moving into designing stained glass and then ceramics, probably with the encouragement of William Morris, who he had met while still a student. Morgan worked as a designer for Morris’s company and the two become close friends. Around 1870, De Morgan began years of study and experimentation with ceramic lustre glazes. He began experimenting with tiles at his studio in Fitzroy Square, before moving to more suitable premises in Cheyne Row, Chelsea in 1872. As his business expanded, he established a larger workshop at Merton Abbey in Surrey, and later moved to Sands End in Fulham. In the 1880s the Arts and Crafts movement’s reforming approach to design and manufacture emerged, inspired by the ideas of John Ruskin and William Morris. The dish beautifully embodies its principles: beauty, inspiration from nature, craftsmanship and profound knowledge of materials and techniques. Middle Eastern and medieval art also influenced many of De Morgan’s designs. On this dish, an antelope stands at the water's edge against a background of stylised foliage, a motif often used on Persian lustreware. The confidently painted design has a flattened perspective. The antelope dominates the overall design and the more delicate flowing foliage adds a sense of movement. Working subtly with the dish’s simple shape, the animal’s horns and the branches echo the curve of the rim. Animals, birds and fish were among De Morgan’s favourite subjects, and he frequently used foliage or trees to cover the surface. The ruby lustre, not uniformly even, gleams softly. A paler, flatter tone adds definition to the antelope’s body, the stylised ground and rippling water. De Morgan’s ceramics business was not profitable and production eventually ceased in 1907 – he lamented that, 'all my life I have been trying to make beautiful things…and now that I can nobody wants them.' He began a second career as a writer of popular fiction. Theodore and Flora Mander commissioned Wightwick Manor in 1887, installing De Morgan tiles in some fireplaces. Their son, Sir Geoffrey Mander, his wife Rosalie and the National Trust developed a collection of works by De Morgan. .
Provenance
Gift of Mr. J E. Bullard 1957. Wightwick Manor and its contents were given to the National Trust by Sir Geoffrey Mander in 1937.
Marks and inscriptions
22 (impressed)
Makers and roles
William Frend De Morgan (London 1839 - London 1917), maker
References
Greenwood 2007: Martin Greenwood, The Designs of William De Morgan (Richard Dennis Publications 2007), p37, No. 1207