Plate 1823 - 1838

This plate of earthenware with transfer decoration was made by Thomas Mayer in the 19th century. The central image contains a figure of Liberty with a pole and Phrygian cap, seated next to the state crest of New York. Liberty was an icon that emerged after the American Revolution as a national symbol of freedom and independence. It would become a common image in the cultural language of the United States. Here, the figure is accompanied by the motto of New York, "Excelsior," meaning "Ever Upward." Examining the context of the era in which this plate was produced, the imagery might be connected with popular reform movements, such as the fight to end slavery. Historians of art can study such visual markers, the political and institutional uses to which they are put, and their changing significance over time.