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Mar 31 2020

My Daily Art

William De Morgan. Vase, 1890. earthenware, lustre, alkaline glaze, 46.2 x 22.5 cm. Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Gift of an anonymous donor, 1999-676.

Another celebrated Victorian artist, William De Morgan (1839-1917) was one of the most influential ceramic artists of his day, even though some said his vessels couldn’t hold water.

He was a good friend of William Morris, and as such, contributed much to the Arts and Crafts movement in England. With this 1890 earthenware vase from the WAG collection, De Morgan has turned to Islamic sources (mainly from Iran and Turkey) both for the arabesque patterns and bird motifs, but also for the elegant gourd shape and lustre glazes.

A half metre in height, the vase carries its heft with incredible balance and grace.  For me, it is one of the most beautiful objects in our decorative arts collection, the gift of one of the WAG’s most generous anonymous donors.

While the WAG is temporarily closed, your collection is still here for you. Stay connected with the art through daily posts from our Director & CEO, Dr. Stephen Borys.

This is a series of daily posts that will continue until the Gallery reopens. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, or visit our stories section.

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One thought on "My Daily Art"

Susan Whibley says:
April 1, 2020 at 2:09 pm

That is really beautiful I may not know art but I know what I like.

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