85799259252026 Donationshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/799/objects/xml79825840Indigenous Immemorialhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/798/objects/xmlhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/32161/full80025969Rosalie Wise Sharp Collection of Blue and Whitehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/800/objects/xml758255142025 Acquisitionshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/758/objects/xml77225396Canadian Ceramics in the 1800shttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/772/objects/xmlEarly settler potters in Canada worked in the traditions of their cultures of origin. Coming mainly from Germany and England, they brought skills and knowledge that shaped a nascent Canadian industry. Ceramic containers like these were the plastic bottles of their day, holding and transporting all manner of food and liquid, from butter to oysters to molasses. Potters enlivened utilitarian forms with cobalt blue or iron brown, painting repeat imagery like flowers, birds, or words to describe the contents. Ornamental forms, like pitchers and vases, fed a market for increasingly decorative ware. While most ceramics sold in Canada were manufactured in England or the United States, local products like the ones on view here helped build a sense of shared identity.https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/23813/full75425397Chinese Ceramics at the Gardinerhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/754/objects/xmlChinese ceramic history is one of the richest in the world. While the Gardiner holds an extensive representation of porcelain decorated in blue and white (on view on the Museum's second floor), we also care for artifacts that reveal the variety of Chinese ceramic traditions in terms of types of body, style, function, and intended audience. Among the works on view, you can observe earthenware sculptures decorated in three colours (known as sancai), which were made for altars or the roofs of temples,as well as white porcelain figures made in the city of Dehua. The latter were popular export items alongside the delicately enamelled wares produced in Jingdezhen during the Oing dynasty(1644-1912). https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/30491/full75523568Chinese Ceramics Interactivehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/755/objects/xml79425395Early English Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/794/objects/xmlSauceboats, creamboats, pickle dishes, and tureens were among the many specialized vessels made for the table in England in the 1700s. Take a moment to observe the distinctions between their shapes constantly renewed vessel forms. A fascination for variations on ceramic types often guides collecting in the field of historical porcelain, as was the case with William B.G. Humphries who donated the works on view in this portion of the vitrine. This display includes objects from the manufactories of Chelsea and Bow, established in London in the 1740s to cater to an elite clientele, and highlights the Worcester manufactory's extensive output, which brought porcelain to a broad audience. Delve into the history of English ceramics in the European Porcelain Galleries on the second floor. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/28251/full75125393European Porcelain Figureshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/751/objects/xmlFarmers, comedians, street criers, and more come together in this animated chorus. Through gestures, facial expressions, and costumes each piece tells a unique story. As Europeans started to produce porcelain in the early 1700s, the figure quickly became a staple of production. First introduced at the Meissen porcelain manufactory, most of these small sculptures were originally made as table ornaments where they could be assembled into thematic displays, from hunting to allegories. The dessert table at the centre of the European Porcelain Galleries on the second floor provides context for their use. Most of the figures on view here were made from about 1730 to 1770 across manufactories, including those of Meissen, Hochst, Frankenthal, Nymphenburg, Royal Copenhagen, Bow, and Derby. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/12687/full73225394Italian Renaissance Maiolicahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/732/objects/xmlRenaissance Italians did not shy away from decoration! These vibrant objects made of tin-glazed earthenware, or maiolica, are completely covered with stories or patterns. This tradition captivated Helen Gardiner, who founded the museum together with her husband, George. Shortly after the couple started collecting ceramics in the late 1970s, Helen delved into the serious study of the Italian Renaissance. Helen's knowledge and keen eye are reflected in the maiolica collection of nearly 100 pieces that the Gardiners donated to the Museum. This selection includes works made in the 1500s in the pottery centres of Deruta, Urbino, Venice, and Montelupo. You can discover Renaissance maiolica in the context of a global narrative in the Connected Worlds Gallery on the ground floor. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/17188/full77321148Macdonald Collection - 19th Century Samsonhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/773/objects/xml75321149Macdonald Collection - Arita blue and white porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/753/objects/xml72921150Macdonald Collection - Chinese Porcelain for Japan and Europehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/729/objects/xml77521151Macdonald Collection - Early enameled wareshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/775/objects/xml75721152Macdonald Collection - Englandhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/757/objects/xml74021153Macdonald Collection - First experiments (shoki imari)https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/740/objects/xml71921154Macdonald Collection - Francehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/719/objects/xml78221155Macdonald Collection - Germanyhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/782/objects/xml76421156Macdonald Collection - Italy and Austriahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/764/objects/xml74121157Macdonald Collection - Kakiemon style porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/741/objects/xml72221158Macdonald Collection - Ko-kutani porcealinhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/722/objects/xml78421147Macdonald Collection - Nabeshima porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/784/objects/xml79721159Macdonald Collection - The Netherlandshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/797/objects/xml73122434Recent Acquisitions - 2020-2022https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/731/objects/xmlhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/27991/full79220074Ceramics from Ancestral Abiayalahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/792/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum’s Ancestral Abiayala Collection (formerly Ancient Americas) is considered the foremost in Canada. It encompasses 47 separate cultures from the vast modern day geographical areas of the American Southwest, Mexico, Central and South America. Some of the cultures and people of these areas date back as far as 3500 BC to AD 1550, just before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. Although each of the cultures represented are considered separate distinct groups, there are similarities between many of them. From intensive agriculture to complex systems of water control, and mathematics to monumental architecture, all of these groups developed one the great miracles of human ingenuity—pottery. The low-fired earthenware vessels and sculptures are made without the use of the potter’s wheel and are decorated using various techniques. Some of these finishes are applied prior to firing, such as slip decoration, and others, including the application of resins and pigments, are added post-firing. The themes illustrated on the works are often influenced by the flora and fauna found in their highly varied environmental zones, from rugged highlands and arid deserts to humid tropical lowlands. Ancestral Abiayala Collections: <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/14990/american-southwest/objects">American Southwest</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/14989/andean/objects">Andean</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/14991/intermediate/objects">Intermediate Area</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/14992/mesoamerica/objects">Mesoamerica</a>https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10652/full7381505314th to 18th Century European Earthenware and Stonewarehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/738/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum’s holdings highlight important developments in the history of European earthenware from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries, including tin-glazed earthenware, English slipware and creamware. Earthenware is the term given to ceramics that have been fired at a comparatively low temperature and have not vitrified. They have opaque bodies and are often glazed to make them impervious to liquids. Different types of earthenwares are given specific names that distinguish their bodies, glazes and decoration. An important area of focus is tin-glazed earthenware produced in Italy, France and England, where it was known as maiolica, faïence and delftware respectively. Tin-glazed earthenware first appeared in the ninth century in present day Iraq, and involved the addition of ashes of tin to a lead glaze to create an opaque white surface for decoration in emulation of Chinese porcelain. Throughout the next five centuries, knowledge of tin-glazing spread throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The movement of objects and people further prompted its dissemination to Italy, and Northern Europe. European Earthenware Collections: <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15056/english-delftware/objects">English Delftware</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15357/english-slipware/objects">English Slipware</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/8194/creamware/objects">Creamware</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15057/french-faience/objects">French Faience</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15054/italian-maiolica/objects">Italian Maiolica</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15117/other-european-earthenware/objects">Other European Earthenware and Stoneware</a> https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14023/full7341519018th Century European Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/734/objects/xmlIn the late seventeenth century, “porcelain fever” broke out in Europe. Princes and wealthy merchants were consumed by the passion to collect and use Asian porcelain. Imported porcelain from China and Japan was expensive and was perceived as a tangible sign of prestige and taste. It was only after many experiments that porcelain was made in Europe. Two types of porcelain were made in Europe: high-fired “hard paste” porcelain, first made in China and later in Europe, which contained kaolin, and low-fired “soft-paste” porcelain which did not. All porcelain is white, translucent and resonant; hard-paste porcelain and some varieties of soft-paste can withstand the thermal shock of boiling liquids. In the 1680s, experiments led to the first commercially viable manufactory of soft-paste porcelain in Europe at Saint-Cloud, outside Paris. It was only after extensive experiments in Saxony by an alchemist, Johann Friedrich Böttger, and a physicist, Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, that the first European hard-paste porcelain was made, resulting in the founding of the Meissen porcelain manufactory in 1710. Soft-paste porcelain manufactories were established in France, England, Italy and Spain in the mid-eighteenth century, but eventually the technology of hard-paste porcelain spread and became dominant in continental Europe. 18th Century European Porcelain Collections: <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15050/austrian-porcelain/objects">Austrian Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15032/english-porcelain/objects">English Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15046/french-porcelain/objects">French Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15023/german-porcelain/objects">German Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15255/italian-porcelain/objects">Italian Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15254/swiss-porcelain/objects">Swiss Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15124/other-european-porcelain/objects">Other European Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15251/commedia-dellarte-figures/objects">Commedia dell'Arte Figures</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15252/hausmaler-decorated-porcelain/objects">Hausmaler-decorated porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15037/scent-bottles/objects">Scent Bottles</a> https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/15335/full7861505919th and early 20th Century Ceramicshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/786/objects/xmlThe nineteenth century saw the perfection and invention of many new ceramic bodies and methods of decoration. These techniques enabled the mass-production of quality, yet affordable tableware that appealed to a wide segment of the market. This period was also characterised by stylistic eclecticism. By mid-century, the prevailing neoclassical taste was replaced by a vast array of revival styles, leading to the Gothic revival and a new interest for the art of Antiquity and the Renaissance. At the turn of the century, traditional historical revivals were rejected by proponents of the Aesthetic Movement, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Secessionist styles. The Gardiner Museum’s collection reflects the technological advances and stylistic movements that typify ceramic history in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. At the core of this collection are significant holdings of Minton and of ceramics for the Canadian market. 19th and early 20th Century Ceramic Collections: <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15366/ceramics-for-the-canadian-market/objects">Ceramics for the Canadian Market</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15060/minton/objects">Minton</a> https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/15312/full730161362015 Acquisitionshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/730/objects/xmlhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/12028/full721172292017 Acquisitionshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/721/objects/xml735186862018-2019 New Acquisitionshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/735/objects/xmlhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/23796/full75214990American Southwesthttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/752/objects/xmlThe American Southwest collection consists of a few examples from the Ancestral Pueblo cultures in the modern day USA region known as the Four Corners, which includes Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Coil-made and simply decorated with geometrical shapes these vessels date back from about 50BC to AD 1600. Objects in the American Southwest collection were given on behalf of the Rath family. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/12040/full75914989Andeanhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/759/objects/xmlThe Andean region includes the modern countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Most of the cultures represented in the Gardiner Museum’s collection come from the Pacific coastal areas or highland regions of these countries. All of the Andean pieces date from about 5500 years ago until 500 years ago. Some of the cultures represented in the Museum’s collection include the Moche, Chimu, Paracas, Nasca, Inka, Jama Coaque, Wari, and Manteño. The Andean objects in the Museum’s collection were given by George and Helen Gardiner, it forms part of their original donation. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10670/full72315050Austrian Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/723/objects/xmlIn 1718, Claudius Innocentius Du Paquier established a porcelain manufactory in Vienna with a small group of partners. Rather than undertake lengthy and expensive experiments in the production of porcelain, he acquired the arcanum (the secrets of porcelain production) and key personnel from Meissen through stealth and bribery. Although Du Paquier did not have direct royal support and operated on a commercial basis, which made it inherently risky, the manufactory is known for its creativity. It survived for twenty-five years and was taken over by the Empress Maria Theresa in 1744, when it became the Imperial Manufactory. The Gardiner Museum’s collection of Du Paquier porcelain was mostly assembled by George and Helen Gardiner and is among the top two public collections in North America. There is also a small collection of porcelain made at the Imperial Manufactory. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/13952/full73615033Bowhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/736/objects/xml78715366Ceramics for the Canadian Markethttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/787/objects/xmlThe Gardiner’s collection of ceramics for the Canadian market includes pottery made in Canada in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a focus on Ontario and Quebec, and tableware made in England for export to various parts of the British Empire. The group of tableware made for export to the Canadian market consists of transfer-printed earthenware with Canadian imagery made in the second half of the nineteenth century in the potteries of Staffordshire, England. Presenting arctic scenery, topographical views, and representations of Canadian sports among other themes, these products contributed to the development of a romantic image of Canada, and the dissemination of themes of nationhood and identity. This collection was greatly enhanced by a gift from Barbara and James Moscovich. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/13975/full79015047Chantillyhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/790/objects/xml71815034Chelseahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/718/objects/xml74215017Chinese and Japanese Ceramicshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/742/objects/xmlChina and Japan have been mastering the art of making various forms of earthenware since neolithic times. However, one of the most significant and far-reaching inventions in ceramic history was the discovery of porcelain in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). Chinese porcelain is composed of two materials: kaolin (a fine white china clay) and petuntse (pulverised feldspathic rock, also known as china stone). When fired at temperatures in excess of 1250º C. the body and the glaze fuse together and the porcelain becomes vitrified. Porcelain is characterised by being white, transluscent, impermeable, and is resistant to thermal shock. China dominated the production of porcelain and its trade for thousands of years. However, the methods of its manufacture spread elsewhere in Asia, notably to Korea and Japan. Porcelain was also traded to Asia, where it influenced the development of tin-glazed earthenware in present-day Iraq in the ninth century. Eventually tin-glaze technology spread throughout the Islamic world and most of Europe, and its decoration was often inspired by imported Chinese porcelain. Influenced by both Chinese and Japanese wares, porcelain was made commercially in Europe from the late seventeenth century. The designs and forms of Chinese and Japanese ceramics continue to reverberate throughout the world today. Chinese and Japanese Ceramic Collections: <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15121/chinese-blue-and-white-porcelain/objects">Chinese Blue and White Porcelain</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15253/other-chinese-ceramics/objects">Other Chinese Ceramics</a> <a href="http://emuseum.gardinermuseum.on.ca/collections/15123/japanese-porcelain-and-its-influence/objects">Japanese Porcelain and Its Influence</a>https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10833/full75615121Chinese Blue and White Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/756/objects/xmlIn the thirteenth century, the city of Jingdezhen in Southern China became the main production centre of porcelain and by 1320, its potters had developed the use of cobalt blue for underglaze decoration. Underglaze blue decoration dominated ceramics from the early fourteenth century to the late 1700s. Blue and white porcelain conquered markets in South East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Americas. It has aptly been called the first truly global commodity, inspiring some of the major ceramic traditions around the world. Blue-and-white porcelain made in Jingdezhen is the main focus of the Gardiner’s collection of Chinese ceramics. It is especially rich in objects made during the late Ming and Qing dynasties and illustrates the broad demand for porcelain through wares made for various markets and users: the imperial household, the scholar and gentry classes, and the export market. Pieces in this collection also represent the breadth of themes and decorative motifs, including Buddhist and Daoist iconography, auspicious symbols, mythical beings, and scenes derived from literary sources. The collection of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain was established by Robert Murray Bell and Ann Walker Bell; this was the first donation of Asian ceramics to the Gardiner Museum. It has since expanded with a significant gift from Janice Stein. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/29239/full78518708Macdonald Collectionhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/785/objects/xmlWhen Chinese trade in porcelain became disrupted in the mid-seventeenth century following the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the Dutch East India Company turned to Japan, where it had an exclusive monopoly on trade. The Japanese had begun making porcelain at Arita before 1620. The earliest wares were decorated in underglaze blue and are known as Shoko-Imari. Japanese potters soon became masters of an exceptionally fine white body, with decorations in both underglaze blue and a distinctive but limited range of overglaze enamel colours. Different styles of decoration are given different names. Ko-Kutani emgered in the late 1640s for the domestic market, and is characterised by bold designs and vivid colours. This was followed in the 1660s by the Kakiemon style, with more transluscent colours and a tendency to use asymetrical designs, while the Imari style has a darker palette and is often enriched with gilding. Kakiemon and Imari style Japanese porcelain became immensely popular in Europe. Most eighteenth-century and many nineteenth-century European porcelain manufactories, as well as makers of faïence, copied the forms and designs of Japanese porcelain. The William and Molly Anne Macdonald Collection of Japanese Porcelain and Its Influences is one of the great specialised collections at the Gardiner Museum.https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/21222/full73715251Commedia dell'Arte Figureshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/737/objects/xmlAmong the most distinctive areas of the Gardiner Museum’s collection are its famous group of 150 European porcelain figures inspired by the Commedia dell’Arte. The Commedia dell’Arte was a popular form of theatre that emerged in Europe during the Renaissance, and remained popular until well into the eighteenth century. The collection includes examples from most European porcelain manufactories showing the characters and costumes of the actors, their gestures and comic poses. These figures were usually utilized as ornaments for the table in the eighteenth century. The origins of the collection are also of interest. It was initially assembled by George Gardiner as a memento of his directorship of Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., publishers of popular novels. It has since been augmented by gifts from William and Molly Anne Macdonald and the heirs of Dr. Hans Syz. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14012/full7938194Creamwarehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/793/objects/xmlCreamware is a type of fine earthenware with a cream-coloured body produced in England and Europe during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Various versions of creamware were developed by potters in the mid-eighteenth century. Josiah Wedgwood, however, deserves recognition for improving the formula in the 1740s and for transforming it into a popular, mass-produced commodity in the 1760s. Creamware possessed many of the same practical and aesthetic qualities as porcelain, but could be produced for a fraction of the cost. For this reason, it quickly emerged as the ceramic tableware of choice for middle class consumers. Competition from creamware producers put great pressure on many English and European porcelain and earthenware factories, forcing some of them to modify their products and others to go out of business. The creamware collection, which was donated by Jean and Ken Laundy, includes objects made in Staffordshire and illustrates the spread of the medium to other regions of England and to factories of continental Europe. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10882/full77915051Du Paquierhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/779/objects/xml76015056English Delftwarehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/760/objects/xmlTin-glazed earthenware was introduced to England in the late sixteenth century by Flemish potters who settled in the region of Norfolk to escape religious persecution. Potteries specializing in tin-glazed earthenware (known as delftware) however flourished in the London area from about 1610. They served a wide segment of seventeenth-century society, with the highest demand coming from the gentry, rich tradesmen and members of flourishing guilds. Increased market demand stimulated the emergence of potteries in Brislington near Bristol, and throughout the British Isles. The collection illustrates a broad range of functional and decorative objects, embellished with popular heraldic and royal motifs, and showing the new fashion for chinoiseries and the impact of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Until England started producing porcelain domestically from 1745 onwards, delftware potteries supplied better-quality ceramic tableware to a middle-class clientele who could not afford Chinese porcelain, nor the continental imports from France and Germany. The production of delftware started to decline in the 1770s when creamware, a new and technically superior earthenware body was introduced to the market. The Gardiner Museum’s collection of English delftware was largely donated by George and Helen Gardiner and was expanded with a significant gift from Joan Clark from the collection of Thomas Henry Clark. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10959/full76315032English Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/763/objects/xmlDespite early experiments with the production of porcelain, the earliest commercially successful production of porcelain in England did not occur until 1745, when the Chelsea manufactory was established in London. By the 1750s a number of porcelain manufacturers were operating in London, the Midlands, East Anglia and the West of England. All English porcelain manufacturers were run as commercial businesses by entrepreneurs without direct royal or noble patronage. Early English porcelain was “soft-paste”, low-fired and made without kaolin. During the second half of the eighteenth century, manufacturers tried different formulas to prevent their porcelain from slumping during firing or from cracking when filled with boiling liquids – an essential requirement given the British love of tea. Bodies could include “frit”, a glassy compound made of a variety of different materials that were ground and added to clay; soapstone, which prevented cracking; and bone ash, which added strength. Eventually, kaolin was discovered in England and some hard-paste porcelain was produced. The Gardiner Museum’s assemblage of English porcelain includes gifts made by many significant Canadian collectors including George and Helen Gardiner, Vernon W. Armstrong, Norman B. and Cicely B. Bell, Barry and Marjorie Pepper, Roger Wilson, the Radlett Collection, and others. It is the most comprehensive public collection in the country. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14008/full72815357English Slipwarehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/728/objects/xmlSlip-decorated pieces, commonly known as slipware, were produced in the region of Staffordshire and Wrotham in Kent from the early 1660s to the eighteenth century. This type of earthenware is decorated with slip (coloured liquid clay), applied as relief decoration using a variety of techniques such as trailing and stamping. This resulted in bold and freely executed designs. Being more economical to produce than delftware and porcelain, slipware was accessible to a wider segment of society including the lower end of the middle class. Part of the original gift made by George and Helen Gardiner, this small collection includes ornamental chargers and drinking vessels in shapes derived from metalwork. Some examples present inscriptions, indicating that they may have been commissioned to commemorate important life events, such as births and weddings. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10813/full74915025Frankenthalhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/749/objects/xml74815057French Faïencehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/748/objects/xmlThis collection surveys the production of some of the most important centres of production of tin-glazed earthenware in France, where the wares were known as faïence. Knowledge of tin-glazing reached France in the second half of the sixteenth century when Italian artisans settled in the cities of Rouen, Lyon and Nevers. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, production spread to other centres such as Marseille, Moustier and Sceaux. Tin-glazed earthenware was used in the making of both functional and ornamental objects. Pieces in the Gardiner Museum’s collection also show how faïence makers first worked under the influence of Italian maiolica before turning to Chinese porcelain as the main source of inspiration. Faïence provided a less expensive alternative to Chinese porcelain, and to the European hard-paste and soft-paste porcelain produced in the eighteenth century. The discovery of kaolin sources in France which enabled the production of more durable hard-paste porcelain, and the spread of less expensive creamware, caused the decline of the faïence industry in the late eighteenth century. The collection of French faïence was donated by Pierre Karch and Mariel O’Neill- Karch. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/12525/full72615046French Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/726/objects/xmlJust as elsewhere in Europe, Asian porcelain was collected with passion in France in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It became part of the goût chinois (Chinese taste), which remained popular until the late eighteenth century. Porcelain was used by the nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie for decorating, dining, the refined drinking of tea, chocolate, and coffee, and for personal uses in the boudoir. Soft-paste porcelain was first produced in France in the late seventeenth century, developing from experiments made by faïence makers. The first commercially successful porcelain manufactory was established in Saint-Cloud, outside Paris. Other small manufactories, such as Chantilly and Villeroy-Mennecy enjoyed the patronage of the nobility. But it was the manufactory of Vincennes-Sèvres, which flourished with royal patronage and ownership, that became the arbiter of porcelain style throughout Europe from the mid-1750s until the Revolution. French manufacturers made soft-paste porcelain until kaolin was discovered at Limoges in the late 1760s, when hard-paste porcelain was produced by Sèvres, and later in Paris. George and Helen Gardiner’s collection of French porcelain has been enhanced with significant gifts from private collectors including Pierre Karch and Mariel O’Neill-Karch. It is the most comprehensive public collection in Canada. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/13957/full72515026Fürstenberghttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/725/objects/xml77415023German Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/774/objects/xmlHard-paste porcelain was first produced commercially in Europe at Meissen, where a manufactory was established in 1710 by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Despite ardent attempts to prevent the arcanum (the secrets of porcelain production) from spreading, it proved impossible. Thanks to the poaching of expertise and personnel, a small private enterprise was established in 1718 in Vienna by Du Paquier. However, Meissen flourished and dominated the production of hard-paste porcelain in Europe until the late 1750s, when Saxony was defeated during the Seven Years War. In 1745 the arcanum was stolen from Vienna. Porcelain manufactories were consequently established all over the German States and throughout Europe. Most were patronised by local princes and aristocrats, as it became highly fashionable to own a porcelain manufactory. Many of these failed by the end of the eighteenth century, but a few continue to flourish today. The Gardiner Museum has outstanding holdings of Meissen porcelain given by George and Helen Gardiner. These were substantially expanded by the collection of Dr. Hans Syz, which includes examples from every German porcelain manufactory of the second half of the eighteenth century. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/12712/full71715252Hausmaler-decorated Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/717/objects/xmlHausmaler is the term given to freelance decorators who flourished in central Europe and Holland between about 1650 and 1750. These independent artists specialized in enamel painting on glass, faïence, and Chinese, Meissen and Du Paquier porcelain, which they acquired by fair means or foul. Hausmaler were able to respond quickly to the demands of their clients, who could order custom decoration in the latest European styles. The Gardiner Museum’s collection of Hausmaler-decorated porcelain was largely assembled by George and Helen Gardiner in the early 1980s. It is the most comprehensive collection of this type of decoration on porcelain in North America, with particular strengths in porcelain decorated in Augsburg, Bayreuth, Bohemia, Dresden and Vienna as well as in Holland. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14517/full78815027Höchsthttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/788/objects/xml73314991Intermediatehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/733/objects/xmlThe Intermediate Area includes objects from the modern countries of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Works in the Gardiner Museum’s collection are mostly from chiefdoms located on the the Pacific side of these countries although there are a few from the Atlantic watershed areas. Known for their ceramics, cultures from the Intermediate Area also worked extensively with a gold alloy known as Tumbaga. The time period of these objects span just under 2000 years from about 200BC to AD 1550. Cultures include the Cocle, Nicoya, Diquis, Veraguas and others. The Intermediate Area ceramics were part of the original donation to the Museum given by George and Helen Gardiner. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14519/full72015054Italian Maiolicahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/720/objects/xmlItalian maiolica is one of the most sophisticated and refined ceramics produced in Renaissance Europe. Maiolica is tin-glazed earthenware, a technique which involved the addition of ashes of tin to a lead glaze in order to create an opaque white background for decoration. Originating in the ninth century in present-day Iraq, the technique spread throughout the Islamic world, reaching Southern Spain by the twelfth century, before establishing itself firmly in Italy in the fourteenth century. One of the greatest artistic achievements of the Italian Renaissance, maiolica played important roles in the social and domestic lives of individuals. Ceramics held multiple functions; while some objects were deeply embedded in the humanist culture of the time, others served to commemorate important events, such as marriage and birth. Apothecaries also stimulated the maiolica industry with large commissions of pharmaceutical wares. Istoriato, or narrative painting, represents the most ambitious stylistic development in the history of maiolica. Istoriato wares were decorated with scenes derived from ancient texts, mythology, as well as religious sources. The high fashion from around 1500 to about 1570, istoriato was produced in various towns of north-central Italy, with the Duchy of Urbino as the leading centre. The Italian Renaissance maiolica collection at the Gardiner Museum is the most important in Canada. It forms part of the original donation made by George and Helen Gardiner. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10698/full74715255Italian Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/747/objects/xmlThe earliest European porcelain was made in Florence between 1575 and 1587 under the patronage of Francesco I de' Medici, grand duke of Tuscany. A limited number of highly individual soft-paste porcelain objects were made. Porcelain was not produced again in Italy until the early eighteenth century. Christoph Conrad Hunger, one of Du Paquier's original partners in Vienna, joined Francesco Vezzi to establish a porcelain manufactory in Venice. Hunger passed on two secrets of the production of porcelain known as the arcanum: access to kaolin and his knowledge of colours. In 1762 two other hard-paste porcelain enterprises, Le Nove and Cozzi, were established in Venice. The Marchese Carlo Ginori began making hard-paste porcelain at Doccia in Florence in 1737. He also acquired expertise from two employees of Du Paquier. The manufactory is still in operation today. A famous soft-paste porcelain manufactory also operated at Capodimonte, Naples, between 1743 and 1759. The Gardiner Museum’s Italian porcelain collection is modest in size. It was established by George and Helen Gardiner and enriched by gifts from the collection of Dr. Hans Syz. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14009/full72715123Japanese Porcelain and Its Influencehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/727/objects/xmlWhen Chinese trade in porcelain became disrupted in the mid-seventeenth century following the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the Dutch East India Company turned to Japan, where it had an exclusive monopoly on trade. The Japanese had begun making porcelain at Arita before 1620. The earliest wares were decorated in underglaze blue and are known as Shoko-Imari. Japanese potters soon became masters of an exceptionally fine white body, with decorations in both underglaze blue and a distinctive but limited range of overglaze enamel colours. Different styles of decoration are given different names. Ko-Kutani emgered in the late 1640s for the domestic market, and is characterised by bold designs and vivid colours. This was followed in the 1660s by the Kakiemon style, with more transluscent colours and a tendency to use asymetrical designs, while the Imari style has a darker palette and is often enriched with gilding. Kakiemon and Imari style Japanese porcelain became immensely popular in Europe. Most eighteenth-century and many nineteenth-century European porcelain manufactories, as well as makers of faïence, copied the forms and designs of Japanese porcelain. The William and Molly Anne Macdonald Collection of Japanese Porcelain and Its Influences is one of the great specialised collections at the Gardiner Museum. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/21222/full76715028Ludwigsburghttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/767/objects/xml78019914Macdonald Collection - Japanese Nabeshimahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/780/objects/xml74315029Meissenhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/743/objects/xml79514992Mesoamericahttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/795/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum’s Mesoamerican objects come from the modern countries of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize. Many great civilizations and cities evolved in these regions and emerged with intellectual accomplishments such as the domestication of corn, hieroglyphic writing, and a precise calendar based on the observations of the heavens. Objects in this collection date from about 1500 BC to close to AD 1521. Cultures in the Museum’s collection include the Maya, Aztec, Zapotec, West Mexico, Teotihuacan, Mixtec as well as many others. The Mesoamerican objects in the Museum’s collection were part of the original gift of ceramics given by George and Helen Gardiner. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10952/full76615060Mintonhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/766/objects/xmlIn the closing years of the eighteenth century, Josiah Spode developed the first bone china. This hybrid porcelain contains almost 50 per cent calcined bone ash as well as kaolin and feldspar. It amalgamated two earlier developments in English porcelain: bone ash, used first by the Bow manufactory; and kaolin, discovered by William Cookworthy. Bone china was soon adopted by many producers in England because wares could be made with thin, strong bodies that were more stable in the kiln and less expensive to produce. By 1799 Joseph Poulson, the partner of Thomas Minton, began making bone china next door to Minton’s earthenware manufactory in Stoke-on-Trent. It was marketed by Minton and financed by William Pownall. Production continued until about 1816. During this period at least 948 different patterns were introduced. In 1824, a purpose-built manufactory was built by Minton who introduced an improved formula for bone china. Minton was one of the foremost and most innovative producers of ceramics in England throughout the nineteenth century. The Gardiner Museum collection of Minton was established by N. Robert Cumming. It ranges from a deep assemblage of early patterns and shapes, through to wares of the early twentieth century. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/8456/full78115063Modern and Contemporary Ceramicshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/781/objects/xmlEncompassing works by leading figures in the history of ceramics, the Gardiner Museum’s modern and contemporary collection shows the remarkable breadth of styles and approaches from the postwar period to the present day. Holdings illustrate the continued endurance of studio pottery alongside works exemplifying movements that sought to release the medium of clay from its functional imperative, from abstract expressionism of the late 1950s to the conceptual and post-modern approaches of the 1980s and 90s. Modern and contemporary works equally demonstrate the importance of clay as a medium of sculptural expression. The field of ceramics today is rich and varied. The current generation of ceramicists takes the medium in a multiple directions. In their work they show consciousness of history and popular culture, use the medium to tell stories, and borrow from industrial techniques such as transfer-printing and mould making. Ceramics are also used in the conception of multimedia work. The Gardiner Museum’s collection of modern and contemporary ceramics includes works from Canadian, American and International artists and has become a major focus of collecting. <a href="https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/15064/modern-and-contemporary--canadian/objects">Modern and Contemporary - Canadian</a> <a href="https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/15308/modern-and-contemporary--american/objects">Modern and Contemporary - American</a> <a href="https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/15065/modern-and-contemporary--international/objects">Modern and Contemporary - International</a> <a href="https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/25840/indigenous-immemorial/objects">Modern and Contemporary - Indigenous</a> <a href="https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/18705/the-raphael-yu-Collection/objects">The Raphael Yu Collection</a> https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10014/full75015308Modern and Contemporary - Americanhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/750/objects/xmlSome of the most avant-garde approaches to ceramics emerged in the United States in the late 1950s. A defining moment was the arrival of abstract expressionism in the United States which ruptured traditional forms as exemplified by the work of Peter Voulkos. A more light-hearted approach to the medium subsequently emerged with the arrival of Californian Funk Art, an offshoot of 1960s Pop Art. This movement, which had a strong impact in Canada, liberated art from the tastes of the cultural elite by embracing popular subjects. Pieces in this connection also include work of important American artists who have greatly contributed to furthering conceptual and figurative approaches. American ceramics in the collection of the Gardiner Museum have been donated by Aaron Milrad, Alan Mandell and many others. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10604/full76115064Modern and Contemporary - Canadianhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/761/objects/xmlAs Canada’s national ceramics museum, the Gardiner Museum is dedicated to celebrating Canadian artists and their work. The collection brings together work by ceramic artists from across the country from the 1950s to the present. The field of contemporary Canadian ceramics today is rich and varied. The current generation of ceramicists takes the medium in a multiple directions. In their work, they show consciousness of history and popular culture, use the medium to tell stories, and borrow from industrial techniques such as transfer-printing and mould making. Clay is also used for sculpture and in multimedia work. The Gardiner Museum’s holdings of contemporary Canadian ceramics were greatly enhanced by important gifts by Raphael Yu. It has been further enriched by works given by Léopold L. Foulem, Helen Gardiner, Aaron Milrad, Diana Reitberger, Brian Wilks, as well as from other donors. Many artists have also given works. The Raphael Yu Centre of Canadian Ceramics was established as a virtual destination under which all activity related to Canadian Ceramic art is documented. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/10862/full73915065Modern and Contemporary - Internationalhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/739/objects/xmlAt the heart of some of the most important developments of the twentieth century is the opposition between ceramic as a functional form, and ceramic as art. The first approach was expressed through the revival of studio pottery which is well illustrated in the Gardiner Museum’s collection of international ceramics. The movement originated in Britain by Bernard Leach in the 1920s and promoted hand-crafted pots for everyday life as a reaction against industry. At the same time, other artists working under the influence of Modernism, including Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, sought to liberate pottery from the imperative of function, treating the vessel as an art form. The collection also includes works by contemporary artists who use clay as a medium of sculptural expression. The Gardiner Museum’s collection of international contemporary ceramics was established by Aaron Milrad, and has since been enriched by gifts from Claude and Christine Bissell, and Helen Gardiner, Iris and Jack Lieber, Elizabeth Lipsett, Michael and Mary Mason, Cawthra and Julyan Mulock, Diana Reitberger, and many others. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/15907/full77118705The Raphael Yu Collectionhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/771/objects/xmlhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/9518/full71615066Non-ceramic Collection Objectshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/716/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum also collects materials directly related to objects in its collections, such as paintings, works on paper, decorative arts. Works include objects from the collections of Norman B. and Cicely B. Bell, Roger Wilson, and Helen Gardiner.https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/25901/full77615031Nymphenburghttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/776/objects/xml77715253Other Chinese Ceramicshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/777/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum’s holdings of Chinese porcelain include pieces from other areas of production, including Dehua, as well as examples of polychrome enamel styles of decoration developed during the Qing Dynasty, namely famille rose and famille verte enamels. Other ceramic bodies, such as earthenware and stoneware, are also represented. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/29201/full72415127Other English Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/724/objects/xml76815117Other European Earthenware and Stonewarehttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/768/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum’s holdings include examples of earthenware and stoneware produced in European factories in Germany, England, Italy and Switzerland. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/13986/full79115124Other European Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/791/objects/xmlSoft- and hard-paste European porcelain manufactories which do not appear as separate categories on this site can be found in this section. Soft-paste porcelain continued to be made in Europe during the first three quarters of the eighteenth century. However, once the components and technology of the arcanum (the secrets of porcelain production) became known, and deposits of kaolin were found, hard-paste porcelain manufactories sprang up all across Europe in the second half of the eighteenth century. Porcelain manufactories from Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Russia are represented in the collection. Most eighteenth-century European porcelain manufactories are found in the Gardiner Museum, largely thanks to the gift of the heirs of Dr. Hans Syz, who donated 430 figures and wares from 56 porcelain manufactories. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14011/full74615126Other French Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/746/objects/xml77015125Other German Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/770/objects/xml78315192Parishttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/783/objects/xml77817870Public Arthttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/778/objects/xmlhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/9893/full76915048Saint Cloudhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/769/objects/xml74415037Scent Bottleshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/744/objects/xmlThe Gardiner Museum holds a unique collection of 107 scent bottles produced across Europe, with a particular focus on factories located around London where they were a specialty. At a time when clean water was scarce and used sparingly, perfume was used to suggest cleanliness. Perfume was a symbol of luxury, a sign of rank and social distinction. In addition to being worn on the self, it was added to gloves, items of clothing, bed linens and cosmetics. The Gardiner’s collection illustrates the range of playful forms that scent bottles espoused, including animals, flowers and figures of lovers. Some examples present multiple containers for different fragrances, small boxes to store beauty patches, mirrors under the base, and rich gold mounts that enhanced the value of the object. A staple of elegance, these little luxuries were appreciated by men and women, and were kept on a dressing table or in a pocket. Scent bottles were a personal interest of Helen Gardiner who established the collection. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/13748/full76515052State Factoryhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/765/objects/xml76215254Swiss Porcelainhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/762/objects/xmlAs the secret of porcelain spread throughout Europe, two porcelain manufactories were established in Switzerland. These independent enterprises were short-lived, being constantly challenged by the lack of aristocratic patronage, the low demand for luxury goods in a protestant society, and the high cost of production. The first factory was established in Kilchberg-Schooren near Zurich in 1763 by a group of ambitious citizens who united to invest in the local industry and to promote large-scale artistic enterprise. The factory produced faïence and soft-paste porcelain before introducing hard-paste porcelain in 1765. The company dissolved in 1791. In 1781, two porcelain painters founded a second factory in the small town of Nyon near Geneva with a similar goal in mind; limiting foreign imports by producing high quality tableware that would respond to the local taste. The factory was active for 30 years and, as in Zurich, produced less expensive types of faïence in order to remain profitable. Both factories sought to respond to the restrained tastes of their protestant clientele through simple forms and sober styles of decoration. The small group of pieces in the Gardiner Museum’s collection were once part of the Hans Syz collection. https://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/internal/media/dispatcher/14010/full79615191Villeroy/Mennecyhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/796/objects/xml74515049Vincennes/Sevreshttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/745/objects/xml78915035Worcesterhttps://emuseum.gardinermuseum.com/collections/789/objects/xml