Plaque

Working at the London firm Doulton and Company, English ceramist John Bennett evolved a new method in which he painted his designs in slip, or liquid clay, and covered them with clear glaze. In 1876 “Bennett ware” was exhibited to great acclaim at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, prompting Bennett to relocate to New York. Although his early pottery demonstrates Islamic influences, this plaque is more indebted to contemporary British Aesthetic movement design. Flowers in muted colors extend into the composition from beyond the pictorial space, yielding a design that resembles the intricate textiles of English artist William Morris.