Swans. Who doesn’t love the elegant swan? Certainly potters loved them. There are few animals depicted on pottery more frequently than the long necked graceful beauties of the still waters.
Long a symbol of love, strength and tranquility, the swan has been revered in cultures into antiquity. In ancient Greece it was associated with the two gods of beauty, Aphrodite and Apollo. Zeus transformed himself into a swan to ravish the most beautiful woman in the world, Leda. Their union birthed Helen, the woman whose face launched a thousand ships and set Greece to war against Troy. The ancient Celts saw the swan as a link to the mystical Otherworld. Hindus believed the goddess of wisdom Saraswati rode a swan as her vehicle. The British considered it a symbol of royalty and made it illegal to kill a swan. In the new world Native Americans have long associated it as a messenger of faith. Swans have even inspired musicians like Tchaikovsky with his Swan Lake ballet and Saint-Saëns who wrote his most beautiful work for cello, Le Cygne.
The pottery featuring the swan is also among the most lovely ever designed. George Jones used swans in their production in jardinieres, figurals and tiles, but the other majolica potters, British, American and Continental featured the beauty of swans in their work as well.
To my eye the most stunning use of swans belongs to a company that didn’t enter the majolica market until 1860, Wedgwood. This staggeringly beautiful monumental swan vase, attributed to Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, is an extraordinary achievement of the potter’s art.
It was also made in blue and white earthenware with painted decoration for the 1879 Exhibition in Sydney, Australia. The paintings on the side were done by John Holloway who had previously worked for Minton. Note the different lid from the previous example. Here we have a putto riding a swan.
Wedgwood also created the stunning earthenware swan ewer. Clearly someone at Wedgwood loved swans!
The other major potters created wonderful swan pieces as well. Minton created a glorious swan vase and a lovely posey holder.
Jones did a beautiful swan jardiniere, centerpiece and tile.
Holdcroft made a pretty posey holder and a swan jardiniere
Lonitz made two nice swan jardinieres and Brown-Westhead, Moore created a lovely stand alone swan piece. Copeland created a beautiful swan supported vase. The BWM swan mold was later used by Clarice Cliff with painted decoration.
Great research and photos as usual!
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