During George Washington’s lifetime and for a century after his death, many Americans memorialized the first president by displaying his likeness in their homes. Recognizing this trend, manufacturers of household goods found it profitable to associate his name and likeness with their wares.

After the War of 1812, when trade with England reopened to the United States, potteries in Staffordshire, England, succeeded in dominating the middle and lower ranges of transfer-decorated ceramics. Many illustrations on ceramics were derived from prints in two ways. First, the designs on ceramics were often copied from those on prints. Second, a similar printing process was employed in decorating these objects. For the American market, Staffordshire potters decorated their wares with American patriots, British military defeats, and American scenic views in an attempt to offset the antagonism generated by the war and naturally to make a profit.

This pitcher, colored with cobalt blue, shows a nostalgic scene of Mount Vernon along the Potomac River with George Washington on horseback and above a banner is emblazoned with “Washington’s Seat.”