Description:
English Staffordshire plate decorated a transfer print in blue and white with a view of Fonthill Abbey with a foliage border, and printed on the back "Panoramic Scenery." Ralph Stevenson potted alone between about 1810 and 1832 except for a short period from about 1825-1828 when he was in partnership with A. L. Williams; after his son joined him in 1832, the business continued as Ralph Stevenson & Son until it closed in 1835. Stevenson produced as series of views marked only "Panoramic Scenery" and not individual place names, which included Fonthill Abbey. After inheriting the Fonthill estate and a vast fortune, William Thomas Beckford (1768-1844) decided to build a large Gothic 'abbey' with a 275 ft. tower, and commissioned a design from James Wyatt. In 1800, Beckford held a party for Lord Nelson in the completed section; after moving in in 1807, Beckford continued building until 1813 although the abbey was never completed. Beckford became known as the Caliph of Fonthill as the abbey attracted great public interest in the years between 1810-1825. After he sold the abbey in 1823, the tower collapsed in 1825 (the foundations were not strong enough), destroying much of the abbey. English potters were making tablewares in order to capture the American market; Staffordshire potters such as Stevenson, Riley, Davenport, Clews, and Wedgwood, were exporting these "Anglo-American" wares, often using historical subjects, including people, views, and events. Most were made from 1800-1850, with the largest production after the War of 1812.
Subjects:
Pottery; glaze (coating by location) Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+70.187 |
