San Francisco exhibit showcases early 19-century transferware

In an era before photography, over-sized tomes, such as Thomas and William Daniell’s Oriental Scenery (1795-1807), depicted the landscapes and historic architecture of India. Such volumes featured outstanding examples of aquatints. These were produced using a printmaking technique that created tonal gradations resembling ink or watercolor washes. Because effective copyright law did not exist in England before 1842, potters began using images from publications on ceramics as early as 1810.