Ellen Mary Rope for Della Robbia Pottery. A small picture frame with three plaster plaques

Ellen Mary Rope for Della Robbia Pottery. A small picture frame with three plaster plaques in their original ebonized frame. Depicting a child playing the Lute to the left-hand plaque, dancing children to the centre plaque, and a child playing the double bass to the right-hand plaque. Della Robbia Pottery was founded in Birkenhead, England, in 1893, they produced art pottery following the British Arts and Crafts tradition. Harold Rathbone and Conrad Dressler set out to create art pottery and architectural elements with local artists and craftspeople. They wanted to follow the designs and skills of the Florentine Renaissance family of potters Della Robbia Pottery even taking the name: Della Robbia Pottery.

Rathbone and Dressler refused to use industrial production practices while allowing the free expression of the local artists and craftspeople that they employed. William Holman Hunt a famous Pre-Raphaelite painter of the period was also on the board bringing with him designs from his friends Edward Burne-Jones and Ford Maddox Brown, two other important Pre-Raphaelite painters of the period. Ford Maddox Brown also taught Rathbone. Ellen Mary Rope was one of the star artists at Della Robbia who is well known for her particular individual style which usually consisted of children dancing, singing, and playing, renowned for her fine detailing in her work as in the three plaques in this listing, but she was just as skilful on larger scale works making massive plaques and still retaining her fine details for architectural commissions.

Frame measures H 17cm. L 35cm. D at the top of frame 3 cm.
Left plaque H 12.3cm W 4.6 cm.
Middle plaque H 3.6cm W 3.2 cm.
Right plaque H 3.6cm W 3.2 cm.

The frame is a little scruffy, honest, and original and the plaques are in very good original condition.