The Natural World

E. F. Bodley & Co., "Danish Birds," 1862.

Art & Nature

From naturalistic to stylized, depictions of the natural world were hugely popular Aesthetic subjects. The Victorians had a strong emotional attachment to nature, nurtured by the Romantics, such as the poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850), and strengthened by growing industrialization and urban living.

Despite the Aesthetic rejection of most things Victorian, the fondness for the natural world was retained and revisited. This was supported by the Aesthetic fascination with Japanese art and design, which was heavily dependent on nature. Images of animals, plants, landscapes, and outdoor pursuits abound in Aesthetic transferware.

Examples of Aesthetic Transferware Incorporating the Natural World

Cumberlidge & Humphreys, "Amazon," c. 1880-1889.

William Alsager Adderley & Co., "Anglais," 1883.

Brown-Westhead, Moore & Co., "Gainsboro," 1884.

Doulton & Co., "Kudos," c. 1882.

Josiah Wedgwood, "Marigold," c. 1876.

Wallis Gimson & Co., "Garfield," 1887.