The two floral-decorated seats were produced by the famous Minton company which, from the second half of the 18th century until the middle of the last century, played a predominant role in the global production of ceramics.
The pair, which originated in 1871 to be exact, belongs to the Stoke on Trent pottery production, a name derived from the town of the same name, which arose in 1910 from the amalgamation of several centres where pottery production was predominant and central to the economy of the area.
The presence of clay, salt and lead in that area, in the northwest of England, favoured an intense production of ceramics since 17th century and then intensified with the industrial revolution thanks to the innovative techniques provided by the exploitation of coal and kilns. From handicraft production, production became industrial, making the whole area internationally known and companies such as ‘Minton’ became leaders in the sector worldwide.
‘Minton’ in particular devoted itself to a varied production: starting with different ceramic bodies, it experimented with decorative techniques and styles far removed from each other, such as Rococo forms, Oriental motifs, classical forms combined with Art Nouveau borders but with medieval decoration at the same time.
These different nuances of styles were possible thanks to various figures who worked for Minton, who were able to bring a unique and valuable knowledge that increasingly enriched these magnificent ceramic works.
One of them who came to work for Milton in 1870, thus just a year before the production of our two seats, was Marc-Louis Solon, a porcelain artist who, having fled his homeland because of the Franco-Prussian war, brought with him his unique porcelain decoration technique called Pate sur Pate, literally paste on paste to create a strong and solid multilayer which later influenced Milton's ceramics.
In this regard, the seats we present here reflect a splendid robustness that comes directly from these unique techniques, with splendid colours and splendid designs; this combination of colours surprises us thanks to the audacity that shines since ‘800 when works of such interest were created with art and harmony, interweaving different cultures and knowledge.
Placed in the furnishing of splendid rooms, they contribute to the charm of spaces wisely furnished by combining different colours, lights, shapes, epochs and styles that assume a superior and harmonious conjugation: every imbalance contributes to the total balance.
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