The Gardiner is thrilled to announce the launch of CLAY, an original in-house restaurant offering seasonal menus of fresh, local fare in collaboration with The Food Dudes.
Ai Weiwei is one of the world’s most influential artists and human rights activists, and one of China’s most formidable critics. Ai Weiwei: Unbroken features a selection of the artist's most iconic ceramics, and marks the international debut of new work. See it now!
Our new kids clay camps now include earlier start times, art-filled field trips, and fresh new themes. Register now for a summer of creative hands-on fun!
The Gardiner Museum is among the few museums in the world focused on ceramics, and is one of the most important specialty museums internationally. It houses approximately 4,000 objects, including European porcelain, ceramics from the Ancient Americas, Chinese porcelain, Japanese porcelain, and contemporary ceramics. Search the collection online!
Everyone can love clay! Become a Friend at one of the world’s great specialty museums and enjoy the benefits, including unlimited admission, invitations to exhibition previews and special events, discounts on lectures and clay classes, and more.
Lobby Display
With brilliant colours and bold modelling, majolica enlivened the Victorian home. A low-fired earthenware decorated with bright lead-based glazes, it was first introduced by Herbert Minton (1793-1858) at London’s Great Exhibition of 1851. It was an immediate success and a number of manufacturers soon joined in its production.
Victorian majolica was initially inspired by Renaissance ceramics, both in form and colour. Even the name ‘majolica’ alludes to a type of Renaissance pottery known as ‘maiolica.’ Soon producers embraced other popular styles, but nature remained a constant source of inspiration, reflecting the Victorian interest in botany and gardening. The new ware also brought fantasy and humour to ceramics, with objects ranging from whimsical tableware to garden furniture and sculpture.
Shell Flower Holders, England, Minton, 1870, Majolica (lead-glazed earthenware), On loan from the Rosalie Wise Sharp Collection