Ridgway's "Grecian" Flow Blue Plates Featuring George and Martha Washington

These exceptional dinner plates, crafted in the "Grecian" pattern by Ridgway, offer a unique blend of history and artistry. Instead of the typical Grecian design, they showcase portraits of George and Martha Washington, the first President and First Lady of the United States.
Dated between 1891 and 1920, these plates reflect the peak popularity of "Flow Blue" pottery. The "Beehive and Urn" backstamp indicates their origin. Interestingly, George Washington died in 1799, and Martha in 1802, suggesting these plates may have been produced to commemorate the centennials of their deaths.

The George Washington plate features a portrait inspired by Gilbert Stuart's "unfinished portrait" or "Athenaeum portrait," famously used on the one-dollar bill for over a century. Stuart's original from 1796 served as a model for numerous copies commissioned worldwide.

The Martha Washington plate showcases a miniature by Walter Robertson, an Irish miniatures painter who met Stuart in Scotland.  

Struggling and surviving on meager commissions, the pair struck out for America with a novel idea.   The two took portrait sittings together, so clients could get a full-sized portrait from Stuart and a miniature from Robertson in the same sitting.  Their ingenuity gained them popularity, fame, and most importantly, commissions to paint what would become the most famous portraits of the Washingtons.

These rare plates, combining the beauty of "Grecian" flow blue with historical significance, offer a captivating glimpse into the past.