Pair of Arts & Crafts Relief Tile Plaque Sculptures Attributed Reginald Robert Tomlinson
Attributed to Reginald Robert Tomlinson (1885–1978) Enfants au Chien and Enfants à la Chèvre, circa 1909
A Pair of Turquoise-Glazed Arts & Crafts Ceramic Relief Plaques Inspired by Clodion
Highlights
• Companion pair of British ceramic relief plaques dating to the Arts & Crafts era.
• Variegated turquoise glaze with rich teal and blue-green tonal variation.
• Depict playful groups of children accompanied by a dog and a goat.
• Adapted from Rococo compositions traditionally associated with Clodion.
• Attributed to Reginald Robert Tomlinson during his early ceramic-design period.
• Finely modelled figures and animals projecting in pronounced relief.
• Displayed in matching ebonised frames with gilt-lined borders.
• Decorative appeal for collections of art pottery, relief sculpture and historic British design.
Introduction
This distinctive pair of ceramic relief plaques combines the playful visual language of French Rococo sculpture with the expressive glazed surfaces associated with early 20th-century British decorative ceramics.
Dating to approximately 1909, the plaques present two companion subjects traditionally known as Enfants au Chien and Enfants à la Chèvre. Each depicts a spirited group of children engaged in energetic play with an animal.
The compositions are associated with models by Claude Michel, called Clodion, whose sculptures of putti, satyrs and mythological figures became widely admired and adapted throughout Europe.
Reinterpreted in mottled turquoise glaze, the familiar Rococo imagery acquires a distinctly Arts & Crafts-era character. Darker colour settles within the recesses while brighter blue-green tones enliven the projecting figures.
Catalogue Details
Attributed artist: Reginald Robert Tomlinson
Life dates: 1885–1978
After: Claude Michel, called Clodion
Life dates: 1738–1814
Titles: Enfants au Chien and Enfants à la Chèvre
English titles: Children with Dog and Children with Goat
Date: Circa 1909
Period: Early 20th century
Country of origin: England
Movement: Arts & Crafts era
Stylistic influence: French Rococo and Rococo Revival
Medium: Turquoise-glazed ceramic
Format: Pair of framed relief plaques
Technique: Moulded or cast ceramic relief
Signature: Unsigned
Factory mark: None identified
Frames: Matching later ebonised and gilt-lined frames
Attribution status: Attributed on stylistic and contextual grounds
Catalogue Note
The plaques were conceived as decorative companions, sharing similar proportions, modelling and a closely related glaze.
Enfants à la Chèvre depicts a tightly arranged group of children attempting to control or play with a goat. Their rounded limbs overlap across the composition, contrasting with the animal’s sharper features, textured coat and projecting horns.
In Enfants au Chien, the figures gather around a strong hound. One child appears above the animal while the others participate in the energetic encounter below. The dog’s elongated and muscular form creates a strong horizontal movement through the scene.
The sculptural modelling is enhanced by the fired glaze. Turquoise and teal tones vary across each surface, becoming darker within the recessed areas and brighter over the raised figures. This natural variation gives the plaques depth and prevents the surfaces from appearing mechanically uniform.
Their Rococo subject matter reflects the renewed interest in historic European design that remained influential during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. The use of richly glazed ceramic nevertheless gives the compositions a distinctly early 20th-century decorative identity.
No signature, factory stamp or workshop mark has been identified. Accordingly, the connection with Reginald Robert Tomlinson should be understood as a qualified stylistic attribution rather than an established documentary authorship.
The Artist
Reginald Robert Tomlinson was a British painter, ceramic designer, author and art educator whose career crossed the boundaries between fine and applied art.
His early professional development coincided with a period of considerable experimentation within British pottery. Tomlinson subsequently became Art Director of Crown Staffordshire Porcelain Company, serving from 1913 until 1919.
He later pursued an influential career in arts education, becoming Senior Inspector of Art for the London County Council and holding senior appointments at the Central School of Arts and Crafts.
Tomlinson also published books concerned with children’s art and practical creativity. His wider contribution to British craft and design was recognised in 1955 when he served as Master of the Art Workers’ Guild.
The proposed circa 1909 date places these plaques within Tomlinson’s early career. Their attribution is informed by that chronology and by their relationship to British ceramic production of the period, although no direct documentary connection has presently been established.
The compositions themselves look back to Claude Michel, called Clodion, one of the most admired French sculptors of the Rococo period. Clodion became celebrated for intimate terracotta groups populated by putti, satyrs, nymphs and animals. His animated models provided an enduring source of inspiration for later decorative artists and manufacturers.
Provenance
• Private collection.
• Northern English antiques dealer.
• Exhibited at Middle Shire Museum, according to the supplied provenance.
• Professionally researched, curated and catalogued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.
Dimensions
Width of each framed plaque: 34 cm / 13.4 inches
Height of first plaque: 22.25 cm / 8.8 inches
Height of second plaque: 22 cm / 8.7 inches
Depth of each framed plaque: 2.5 cm / 1 inch
All measurements are approximate.
Condition Report
The ceramic plaques remain in good antique condition and retain their attractive turquoise glaze.
Fine crazing extends across the surfaces and is especially noticeable within the lighter passages. This is consistent with the age and nature of glazed ceramics.
There is minor wear and localised dulling across some projecting details, together with scattered dark marks, discolouration and variations resulting from age or firing.
Small chips, minor losses and areas of historic touching-in are present. These remain visually subordinate to the compositions when displayed.
The matching later ebonised and gilt-lined frames show rubbing, small losses and areas of overpainting or retouching.
Please refer to the accompanying photographs for a complete visual record of condition.
Shipping
Worldwide delivery is available.
Each plaque will be individually protected before both are professionally packaged together and fully insured for secure domestic or international delivery.
Attribution and Research
The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market.
These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations.
Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution
The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.
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