After the end of the War of 1812, English potters were eager to resume trade with the United States, producing wares that celebrated American heroes and victories. In the 1820s, pottery printed in blue with a range of American scenic and architectural views, as well as historical events and images of political and military figures became popular. Most of the images were copied from contemporary prints. A century later, American collectors, like Bayou Bend’s Miss Ima Hogg, eagerly sought the same pottery.

The plate dipicts Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman consul (460 BCE), dictator (458 and 439 BCE), and a legendary figure in the early days of the Roman Republic. He responded to a call from the city fathers, left his plow lying in the fields, donned his senatorial toga, and led the Roman army to victory over the invading Aequi, only to return to his small farm 15 days later. For generations, he served as the symbol to Romans young and old of what a loyal citizen ought to aspire. This example of selfless service to his republic became a model for the Founding Fathers. George Washington was called the American Cincinnatus as he too returned to private life after the American Revolution.