Tile 1757 - 1761

Editor: This striking tile, crafted between 1757 and 1761 by John Sadler, showcases an elegant couple through a detailed print – likely an engraving or woodcut, maybe even an intaglio print. There's an almost casual air about the scene, despite the formality of their attire. What does this tile communicate to you? Curator: The tile’s existence as a mass-produced object for the burgeoning middle class in 18th-century England speaks volumes. Sadler's innovative printing techniques allowed for images like this, once reserved for the elite, to become accessible and, frankly, ubiquitous. Think about the labour involved, the mechanization of printmaking allowing faster production. The portrayal of the couple and the military presence speaks to England's global power and to whom this work might have been produced. Do you see any tension between high art aspirations and the practicalities of commercial production? Editor: Absolutely, it's fascinating to consider. The very fact that it's a tile – a functional, everyday object – complicates its status as "art". The detailed design clashes with its practical application. Curator: Precisely. And who benefits from this type of accessible imagery? How did these images of class, war, and culture shape people’s perception of their daily life in England and abroad? It challenges that separation of art as an aspirational object when it's created in order to decorate. Editor: It’s remarkable how a seemingly simple tile can reveal so much about 18th-century society. It is like early advertising. I never considered art making for "domestic" applications to carry so much cultural baggage and be such a historical and material statement. Curator: Exactly! Every choice from material to mass marketing is part of the statement.