Object Number 1969.4725.023

Object Name

Tile (Fireplace or wall tile)

Category

Ceramics

Credit Line/Donor

Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

John Sadler (Printer)
1720-1789
See Anthony Ray, Liverpool Printed Tiles (London: Jonathan Horne Publications, 1994) pp. 1-15 for further information on Sadler and Green.

Jean-Antoine Watteau (Design inspiration)
1684-1721
Watteau, one of the originators of the Rococo style, is considered to be the most individualistic and independent of the artists working in the style. The French Academy, acknowledging this independence, allowed him to choose the subject of his reception piece ("Pilgrimage to the Island of Cythera") and enrolled him in a category of his own invention, the 'fête galante.' Underlying the playful nature of many of his works, Watteau pursued a serious exploration of human psychology. It is noteworthy that he depicted men and women as equally active figures in subtle social and emotional exchanges. Watteau explored the potential of the 'commedia dell'arte,' to which he was introduced by his teacher Claude Gillot. He was also heavily influenced by Rubens and by Venetian painting. Based on his last two works (the enigmatic "Gilles" and "Gersaint's Shopsign"), Watteau seems to have been moving his painting in a new, more realistic, direction. Despite not seeking official or courtly commissions, Watteau's work was widely influential both during his lifetime and after his death. This influence can be seen in the works of Tiepolo, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Mercier, and especially Fragonard. His entire oeuvre was engraved in four volumes (by such artists as Boucher) on the initiative of his friend, the collector Jean de Julienne. (from ULAN)

Pierre-Alexandre Aveline (Design inspiration)
1702-1760

Place of Origin

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Date

1757-1761

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Signature; Below print; Printed script "J. Sadler" and "Liverpool"

Materials

Earthenware (delftware, faience); Tin glaze

Techniques

Molded, Printed, Enameled

Dimensions (inches)

5 (H) , 5 (L)

Dimensions (centimeters)

12.7 (H) , 12.7 (L)

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Ray, Anthony. 1994 Liverpool Printed Tiles.
• Similar, but unsigned tile: p. 24, no. B3-10, adapted from Watteau's "Le May," engraved by Aveline.
[Book] Ray, Anthony. 1973 English Delftware Tiles.
• Similar tile: pp. 248-49, no. 656, noting this is simplified version of part of Watteau's scene. Later tile versions with heavier clouds.