Subverting the Motto

Thomas Toft 17th Century Grayson Perry 21st Century

What are the similarities and differences between these two plates?

Subverting the Motto

Thomas Toft 17th Century Grayson Perry 21st Century

By having an image of the virgin Mary surrounded by Designer brands and clutching a handbag Perry is suggesting that, in the 20th century, we are more likely to worship a material object than a particular diety.

Grayson Perry subverts the traditional ceramics of 17th century artist Thomas Toft. Thomas Toft used traditional heraldic, religious, regal and folk art images. Perry uses contemporary brand names to question our value system.

Thomas ToftThomas Toft was alive during the 17th century.

He worked in Staffordshire where potters at the time were known for the excellence of their slipware. This is a coarse earthenware decorated with a coloured clay and water mixture of cream-like consistency called slip.

Designs Thomas Toft used included mermaids, unicorns and pelicans, also King Charles II, his wife Queen Catherine of Braganza and numerous coats of arms.

A cross-hatched rim was fairly typical of the style.

Grayson PerryPerry's work refers to several ceramic traditions, including folk art.

Perry researched the work of Thomas Toft during a residency at the V&A in the 1990s.

By combining traditional techniques with contemporary issues, Perry questions the place traditional crafts have within the art world.

The ‘Faith in Shopping’ plate shows the Virgin Mary not as the Queen of Heaven, but as "Our Lady of Bond Street" as she is surrounded by different brand names. This work asks us to question our value system.

Reflect the materialistic concerns of the 21st century by combining a brand name or symbol with 17th century heraldry and symbols.

Draw a design in your sketchbook.

For example…

Starbucks mermaid steals all the money.

Cut a circle out of the clay. You can shape this on a plate if you want but make sure you put a piece of paper between the clay slab and the plate.

Impress paper doilies or lace into the clay ‘plate’ to create some initial decoration. (you may only want to put this around the edge)

SgraffitoTransfer your design onto your ceramic plate. Use the clay slips to colour in your design. You can also draw into the slip revealing the original clay beneath This is called scraffito

After the first firing (biscuit firing) you can clear glaze the plate.

Use cross hatching like Toft. An effective way to decorate the plate is in concentric circles.