CIRCA 1870, SCRIPT SIGNATURE TO REVERSE

Details

AN ENGLISH PORCELAIN SATIRICAL PLATE: 'WHAT IS MAN?' BY JOSEPH CRAWHALL
CIRCA 1870, SCRIPT SIGNATURE TO REVERSE
Painted by Joseph Crawhall Sr., with an oak tree branch inscribed 'What is Man?', encircled by a serpent with a caterpillar, a larvae depicted as a sleeping baby, a spider, and butterflies above a suspended hourglass, the reverse painted with a drawing of Darwin and signed 'Jos. Crawhall.', with later typed paper label: 'The Darwin theory explained, "What is Man?"'
9 in. (23 cm.) diameter

Provenance

Acquired (Sotheby's?) Billingshurst, 1991.

Literature

B. Coleman, The Best of British Arts & Crafts, Atglen, PA, 2004, p. 160, 180.
M. Levy, ‘Living with antiques: A collection of Victorian decorative arts’, Antiques, June 2000, pp. 948-955, p. 955, pl. xii.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Adrian Hume-Sayer Director, Specialist

Lot Essay

Joseph Crawhall II (1821–1896) was a wood engraver, amateur painter and writer, as well as a businessman, patron of the arts, and campaigner for the preservation of architecture, especially in his home town of Newcastle. He was a friend of Charles Keene (1823–1891), illustrator for Punch, and they worked together on over 200 drawings for the journal.

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