Smith Art Gallery & Museum | Details

Sidebar content	Main content
Actions Displays	Pewter plate Remove from selection Add to selection Reproduction Download mediaDownload as zip file Object number21754.1172 TitlePewter plate Creator Archibald Knox DescriptionWith its sweet circle of hearts just inside the rim, what is there not to love about this beautiful Art Nouveau pewter plate? It was made in around 1910 by Liberty of London. The whole surface has been hammered, producing a tactile quality that reminds us of the sort of tableware found at a Tudor banquet. Surrounded by the curved relief decoration so typical of Art Nouveau, the heart-shaped turquoise blue and green enamel decorations shine like jewels. While Liberty had a policy of keeping their designers anonymous, it is widely thought that their pewter ranges were mostly created by Archibald Knox. A native of the Isle of Man, Knox worked for Liberty as principal metalwork designer from 1901-04, producing hundreds of designs. He taught art, design & craft in both London and on the Isle of Man; one of his main beliefs was that “Art is in everything if we choose to put it there”. Using the natural forms and sinuous, interlacing lines so popular in Art Nouveau and Celtic art, Knox’s designs covered everything from tableware to inkwells, from jewellery to gravestones. In his work we can see the influence of William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement from the 19th century, with the emphasis on handcrafted techniques and organic forms. But we can also see inspiration for the geometric shapes of the Art Deco movement, still to come in the 20th century. Production placeEngland Production date 1910 - 1910 Production periodArt Nouveau Object namePlate MaterialPewter, enamel Dimensions Diameter: 243 mm

Reproduction

Download mediaDownload as zip file

Object number21754.1172

TitlePewter plate

DescriptionWith its sweet circle of hearts just inside the rim, what is there not to love about this beautiful Art Nouveau pewter plate? It was made in around 1910 by Liberty of London. The whole surface has been hammered, producing a tactile quality that reminds us of the sort of tableware found at a Tudor banquet. Surrounded by the curved relief decoration so typical of Art Nouveau, the heart-shaped turquoise blue and green enamel decorations shine like jewels. While Liberty had a policy of keeping their designers anonymous, it is widely thought that their pewter ranges were mostly created by Archibald Knox. A native of the Isle of Man, Knox worked for Liberty as principal metalwork designer from 1901-04, producing hundreds of designs. He taught art, design & craft in both London and on the Isle of Man; one of his main beliefs was that “Art is in everything if we choose to put it there”. Using the natural forms and sinuous, interlacing lines so popular in Art Nouveau and Celtic art, Knox’s designs covered everything from tableware to inkwells, from jewellery to gravestones. In his work we can see the influence of William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement from the 19th century, with the emphasis on handcrafted techniques and organic forms. But we can also see inspiration for the geometric shapes of the Art Deco movement, still to come in the 20th century.

Production placeEngland

Production date 1910 - 1910

Production periodArt Nouveau

Object namePlate

MaterialPewter, enamel

Dimensions

Diameter: 243 mm