William De Morgan Tiles, Made at Sand's End Pottery, Fulham, c.1888-1897
The peacock painted onto these tiles has brilliantly coloured plumage. It perches on a berry-covered branch. William De Morgan designed the tiles in the late 1800s. He was a well known member of the Arts and Crafts movement. Arts and Crafts designers were inspired by nature, including birds, animals and flowers. The peacock has often been seen as a symbol of beauty. In Christian religion it is a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ and everlasting life. The peacock and its tail feathers were often used as motifs by artists and craftspeople. The peacock was popular with artists working in the âAestheticâ style of the 1870s and 1880s. These tiles were probably made to decorate a fireplace. Alternatively, they could have been used on a wall, or framed as a picture. In the late 1800s tiles became very popular for decorating cast-iron fireplaces. They were placed either in the hearth or in the side or âcheekâ panels. One company advertised slide-out cheek trays as a feature of their fireplaces. This allowed the owner to change the tiles from time to time. Stove and fireplace manufacturers ordered tiles from tile companies to decorate their products. William De Morganâs tile designs were specially commissioned by such companies.
