White and Blue China Platter

Dimensions11 x 15 in

Credit LineGift of Margaret H. Griffiths, 1994.

Object number1994.005.088

Label TextNoted London photographer and china painter, John Howard Griffiths (1826-1898) painted this Wedgewood ceramic platter, and the other matching dishes in this set. John Howard Griffiths was born on December 26, 1826 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England to William and Charlotta (Howard) Griffiths. As a young man, he attended the Mechanics Institute in nearby Hanley. There, John studied under Edward Villiers Rippingille, a member of the British Royal Academy of Arts. Like his older brother James, John later apprenticed at Minton China Works. Although little is known of his work, curator Dr. Ann Davis argues that he too was likely a “flowerer, a painter, and a guilder” although his inquisitive nature distinguished his career with many technical innovations. In 1840, for example, John developed a more expedient method of painting on china buttons, which involved gluing row of buttons onto tiles so they could be more easily handled, thus speeding up the process of painting and firing. Minton soon adapted their production methods to his innovation. When he arrived in Canada in 1855, John first worked as an investor and farmer, earning his income through speculative ventures and money lending, although his fortunes were lost with the economic depression of 1856-57. It was around this time that he found employment painting and japanning the wares of J. & O. McClary. There, he provided designs for the company’s mass produced enamel wares. In 1863, John began his own wholesale photographic business on the corner of Dundas Street and Market Lane, where he ran a portrait studio and sold art supplies. By 1865, his business was well established, providing him with a reliable income until his retirement in 1883. In 1867, John married Ann Wonnacott, a native of Devonshire, England and together they had seven children—John, Eliza, Martha, Rosa, Sarah, Ada and Louise. While his domestic life flourished, he continued to work hard at his business, learning new techniques and making important innovations in his craft. By 1870, John began experimenting with a process for mounting photographs onto porcelain, which marked the beginning of his exploration and mastery of techniques independent from ones he had learned while at Minton’s. Although, transfer printing onto ceramics (and other materials) was well established by the 1870s, John was among the first to pioneer the practice in Canada, and his superior technical skills won him wide acclaim. In addition to medals from London, Ontario’s Western Fair, he was awarded two medals for china painting at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition (London, UK, 1886) and a special silver medal at the Toronto Industrial Exhibition (now the Canadian National Exhibition) in 1889. One of his most notable assignments was the commission of a tea set to be presented to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 1887. Two sets were painted, one of which was presented to the Queen. The other, on exhibition here, resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada. Although John moved to his 100-acre farm in Westminster in 1875, he continued to be active in London, through his business and his artistic and teaching pursuits. He served as a trustee of the O’Dell School in Westminster for 21 years, and in 1867 was a founding member of the Western Fair, serving on the board of directors, and later acting as both president and treasurer. John co-founded the Western Ontario School of Art and Design, alongside his brother James and J.R. Peel, and later served as principal of the School. He died in London, Ontario on October 30, 1898.

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