Search Results for: Stoke - Page 1 of 26
The online catalogue does not include details of all our collections. Contact us for further information on collections not yet featured online.
“Conjugal Felicity”, a mother’s love, and Mr Fletcher
The phrase ‘Conjugal Felicity’ is not one that is widely used today but its meaning – A Happy Marriage – is still relevant. The engraving on this creamware jug of c.1798 shows an idealised happy marriage with a fashionably-dressed husband and wife surrounded by their three children: a young boy holding his hoop while his […]
“Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside!”
The school holidays have officially started and while we may not be going abroad on holiday, many of us are looking forward to short breaks or days out in this country. The concept of a fortnight away in the sun is quite a modern one. It was not until 1938 that the Holidays with Pay […]
‘Eternal Spring’ by Auguste Rodin
Eternal Spring by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin is mounted on a metre-high plinth inside the entrance of the Fine Art Gallery. The bronze sculpture measures almost a metre in length and stands at just over half a metre high. It depicts the nude figures of a man and a woman locked in a passionate embrace. […]
‘To My Father from your Loving Son: A Message from the Front
Fathers’ Day is a day of honouring fathers and many of us will be sending cards and gifts to celebrate. The day itself is relatively recent, having been introduced to Britain some time after the Second World War, nevertheless there is a long tradition of honouring and showing appreciation to one’s father.
1. Spanish Dancers
This figure is playing a friction drum – or zambomba – a traditional instrument comprising an earthenware pot with a membrane stretched over it. This is then vibrated to produce a sound using the stick which pierces the membrane. The zambomba is a traditional Spanish instrument which was often used at Christmas time to accompany […]
10 Questions – The Stone Age
An introduction to the Stone Age in 10 questions. Watch or read this quick guide below. Hello, this is Joe from The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery and for any of you who might be home schooling at the moment, or home learning, or just might be a little bit curious, here are 10 questions, […]
10. The Christmas Star
The Three Kings by David Jones. Engraving, dated 1926. The words, ‘Omnes de Saba Venient’, are taken from the prophecy of Isaiah in the Bible (Chapter 60:6). ‘All shall come from Sheba bringing gold and frankincense, and showing forth praise to the Lord.’ This print from our Fine Art collection illustrates the story of the […]
11. “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas…”
In this painting, nineteenth-century artist, John O’Connor, captures a snowy view from the National Gallery in London in 1881. For many of us, snow is synonymous with Christmas – the movies, the songs, Advent calendars and Christmas cards – although white Christmases are much less common than they used to be in the UK. White […]
12. Turtle Doves
“On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me. Two turtle doves…” Turtle doves are famously associated with the Christmas song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’. The ‘turtle’ part of their name originates from the Latin (Streptopelia turtur) ‘turtur’which is connected to the sound the birds make: ‘turrturr’. They may not be […]
13. “The Ermine Coat”
This is (usually) the party season and what could be more elegant than this Doulton figure titled ‘The Ermine Coat’ showing a fashionably dressed woman in her crimson evening dress and white fur coat? She was modelled by Leslie Harradine and issued by the Royal Doulton company between 1945-1967. Ermine is associated with winter as […]
