William de Morgan
William De Morgan was probably the most important and innovative potter of the 19th century and, with his friend William Morris, was a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement.
He was born in Chester on November 16, 1839.
Having studied study fine arts, de Morgan then turned to stained glass and then involved in pottery, however by 1872 he had shifted his entire interest to ceramics.
He set up a pottery works in Chelsea where he stayed until 1881. This was his most prolific period as an artistic potter. He experimented with different lustres and glazes being heavily influenced by Persian and Moresque designs and rediscovered methods of making the intense greens and blues used in Majolica wares.
There is a permanent exhibition of his work in the De Morgan Centre, south west London. Collections of his work also exist in many museums, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the William Morris Gallery in London.
Not surprisingly, his work is very collectable today with individual tiles of his selling for prized sums.
De Ferranti's Arts and Crafts style ruby lustre animal tiles are replicas of William de Morgan's decorative tiles. more..
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