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Corinthian Ruins: C.49-1997

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Corinthian Ruins

Maker(s)

Factory: Wedgwood, Josiah
Printer: Green, Guy
Designer: Le Roy, David

Entities

Categories

Description

Cream-coloured earthenware (Queen's ware), moulded, lead-glazed, and printed onglaze in black. Circular with feather edge, sloping rim, shallow curved sides, and flat centre. Decorated in the middle with 'Bridge over the River Ilissus' and the 'Temple of Pola in Istria', and on the rim, with six floral sprays.

Notes

History note: Beard Collection

Legal notes

Given by G.H.W. Rylands, Litt D., CBE, CH in memory of his mother, Betha Wolferstan Rylands

Measurements and weight

Height: 2.3 cm
Width: 24.3 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Burslem ⪼ England
  • Liverpool ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1997-07-14) by Rylands, G.H.W.

Dating

18th Century, third quarter
George III
Circa 1770 - 1775

Note

Made in Josiah Wedgwood's factory at Burslem, or if after 1772, at Etruria, and printed in Liverpool by Guy Green (d. 1799). The feather edge was one of the most popular moulded edgings on plates produced by Wedgwood's and other factories making creamware.

This design was known as 'Corinthian Ruins', but was derived from plate 1 in Robert Sayer's, 'The Ruins of Athens', 1759, with on the left, 'Bridge over the River Ilissus', and on the right, the 'Temple of Pola in Istria'. The description states that 'This temple may be reckoned in Point of Beauty, among the most valuable Remains of Antiquity: . . .'. Sayer reproduced pl. 1 in ' Les Ruines des plus beaux Monumens de la Grèce', Paris 1758, pt. 1, drawn by the French architect, Julien David Le Roy (1724-1803), and etched by Jacques Philippe Le Bas (1707 - 1783). The design occurs on a differently-shaped creamware plate in the British Museum, (1887,0307,1.794), and printed in purple on a plate with a pierced border (1909,1201.453).

School or Style

Rococo

Components of the work

Decoration

Materials used in production

Lead-glaze
Cream-coloured earthenware

Techniques used in production

Moulding : Cream-coloured earthenware (Queen's ware), moulded, lead-glazed, and printed onglaze in black.
Lead-glazing

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: circular pale brown label with serrated edge, inscribed in faded black ink

  • Text: x\13050\ Choice old\Wedgwood\from Beard\Collection mentioned\in "Chaffers"/Very scarce
  • Location: On the base
  • Method of creation: Inscribed in faded black ink
  • Type: Label

Inscription present: incised circle

  • Location: Below centre on the base
  • Type: Mark

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.49-1997
Primary reference Number: 11867
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 25 March 2025 Last processed: Tuesday 25 March 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Corinthian Ruins" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/11867 Accessed: 2025-05-05 18:45:54

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/11867 |title=Corinthian Ruins |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-05-05 18:45:54|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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