Pre-Felton acquisitions (all purchased 1885):
- Aster, tile (1872-81). NGV 563-D1M
- Curzon rose trellis, tile (1872-81). NGV 562-D1M
- Peacock panels (c.1872-80): 6 tiles in 2 panels. NGV 542.a-f-D1M): see photo at right
- Persian flowering foliage, tile (1872-81). NGV 559-D1M
- Small carnations and encircled foliage, tile (1872-81). NGV 560-D1M
- Plate (c.1880): with fish decoration. NGV 557-D1M
- Bowl (c.1882). NGV 556-D1M
- BBB, tile (1882-85). NGV 566-D1M
- Mongolian, tile panel (1882-85): 2 tiles. NGV 564.a-b-D1M
- Persian tulips and foliage, tile (1882-85). NGV 561-D1M
- 3 Vases, date unknown. Loc?
[photo: Peacock panels, c.1872-80 (NGV542.d-f-D1M)]
De Morgan (1839-1917) worked in Chelsea from 1872, taking his inspiration from medieval European and Persian ceramics and decoration. He retired in 1907, and his company ceased operations in 1911.
The works acquired for Melbourne in 1885, all dating from between 1872 and 1885, were selected by Frederick Leighton. Most of them remain in the NGV (although AR 1885 also lists three large vases by De Morgan, not apparently extant). The extant works were all included in the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition Medieval Moderns (NGV, April-July 2015).
Another ceramic piece, a dish titled Startled tigers (c.1880), was acquired through the Felton Bequest in 1980.
Refs.
AR 1885, p.36, listing various works acquired from the exhibition of “paintings on china,” and a second group directly from Morris & Co., London
For details and reproductions of the works still in the NGV, see the gallery’s online catalogue and Benson & others, Medieval Moderns (2015), esp.pp.94ff. (Amanda Dunsmore) and p.124 (catalogue)