Platter 1822 - 1837

Editor: Here we have a ceramic platter, dating from 1822 to 1837, created by James and Ralph Clews. It features a transfer-printed landscape scene, very pastoral. The monochrome palette and the bustling composition almost make it look like an advertisement, albeit for an antiquated version of “country life”. What do you make of it? Curator: I think you’re right to pick up on the ‘advertisement’ quality. Pieces like this were immensely popular in England and America at the time. While seemingly innocent depictions of rural life, they also subtly reinforced ideas about nationhood and belonging, even as industrialisation transformed lived experience. The very act of consuming imported ceramics became a signifier of cultural aspiration and a stake in an imagined community. Do you think this reinforces social stratification? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't thought about the consumption aspect. The romanticised landscape is one thing, but the fact it's on a mass-produced platter adds another layer. Perhaps it presents a simplified view of social structure and harmony to distract from societal tensions, with a rural ideal available through commerce. Curator: Exactly! This manufactured, picturesque landscape papers over the realities of labor and class division, promoting a national identity built on consumption. The imagery on the plate becomes a stand-in for authentic experience. It’s important to consider these objects not just as decorative items, but as active participants in constructing and maintaining social hierarchies. Does that make you look at the decoration on the plate differently? Editor: Absolutely! It makes me consider who could afford this platter, what kinds of homes it was displayed in. Thanks, it is fascinating how even decorative arts have social implications we might miss at first glance! Curator: My pleasure!