Hot-water plate

For many Americans, ceramic tableware imported from England’s Staffordshire manufacturers offered the opportunity to enjoy classical ornament at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Excavations of ancient Herculaneum and Pompei became widely known through publications and prints. Many designs of Roman architecture, interior design, and objects found their way into English manufactured goods. On this hot-water dish, a quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses and symbolizing fame, centers a radiating design comprised of other classical motifs, including amphora and mythological scenes.