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 transfered image on the plate shows a view of the ship Cadmus, the ship that brought the Marquis de Lafayette for his revisit to the United States in 1824, where he was received with adulation. Crowds by the thousands greeted him, and he was lauded in cities across the land.