Wiener Museum Ardmore

Out of Africa into WMODA

There are many wise African sayings about unity and community. Ardmore Ceramic Art in South Africa works in the spirit of Ubuntu, meaning we are because of others. Another African proverb advises “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The Ardmore

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Wiener Museum Mafra Palissy Style

Biophilia ǀ A Cabinet of Curiosities

The Christopher Marley ǀ Biophilia exhibition which opens on December 5th at WMODA is presented like a Cabinet of Curiosities, a precursor of the modern museum. Also known as a Wunderkammer or Cabinet of Wonder, these were encyclopedic collections of natural and man-made objects reflecting our universal curiosity and fascination

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Wiener Museum Doulton Marley

Papillons in Porcelain

The buzz surrounding the beautiful butterfly art in the Christopher Marley ǀ Biophilia exhibition, which opens on December 5th has inspired us to look at the vogue for butterfly dancing in the early 20th century. While Christopher has preserved the fragile and floating beauty of actual butterflies in his art,

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Wiener Museum Rothschild Zebra

Ardmore’s Zany Zebras

The Ardmore artists make zebra riding look easy but in fact, they are usually too aggressive to train. They kick and bite and their backs are not really strong enough to support the weight of a man. Nevertheless, there were numerous attempts to tame them in the late 19th century.

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Wiener Museum Miranda Kerr Friendship

Friendship at WMODA

Supermodel Miranda Kerr is the face of Royal Albert china. “Friendship is the basis of the collection,” she says, when asked about the inspiration behind her Royal Albert tea wares. It’s about “having tea with friends and taking time to sit down and connect, especially in the busy world of

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Wiener Museum Dulac Alchemist

Alchemy & Porcelain

Chinese translucent porcelain, which became known in Europe in medieval times, was referred to as white gold, valued as equal to the most noble metal. The composition and method of manufacture remained a mystery in Europe until 1708 when the German alchemist, Johann Bottger, discovered the secret of hard-paste porcelain.

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Wiener Museum Tea Party Event

The Art of Tea

The afternoon tea in the Hot Glass gallery, hosted by Michael Doulton and Louise Irvine on November 9th, was a sell out success. Many ladies dressed specially for the occasion in gorgeous hats to rival Downton Abbey. Louise presented anecdotes from the history of tea drinking and advised on the

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Wiener Museum Scandal Women SILO

Teatime Scandal

Sensational scandals have long inspired lively conversation around the tea table. Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, a lifelong friend of Queen Victoria, is credited with starting the traditional English afternoon tea party in the 1840s. Apparently she was no stranger to gossip. The Duchess experienced a sinking feeling in the

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Wiener Museum Ghostly Woods

Ghosts & Ghouls

As Halloween approaches, we are highlighting some of the spookier pieces in the WMODA collections. One of the most sinister is Ghostly Wood designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones for Wedgwood’s Fairyland Lustre collection. Daisy derived images from the Legend of Croquemitaine illustrated by Gustave Doré in 1866, as well as fairy

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Wiener Museum Mephistopheles

Halloween Howl

During the roaring twenties, party-goers loved to dress up in devilish costumes. A favorite was Mephistopheles, a demon who corrupts men and collects the souls of the damned for Lucifer. The demon appears in the German legend of Faust, who wagers his soul to the devil and seduces the innocent

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