What makes William De Morgan’s portrayal of animals so special? In his designs mythical beasts, birds, big cats and many other subjects hunt, play or just pose with a glint in their eye. How De Morgan chose and depicted these subjects on his tiles will be discussed in the context of other British ceramic artists. Rob will take you from farmyard to fantasy with images of literally hundreds of tiles so you can make your own judgment on De Morgan’s menagerie and its place in the history of British ceramic art.

Rob Higgins started collecting ceramics in Stoke Trent in the 1970s and now has a large collection of decorative tiles by William De Morgan and other makers. He is Treasurer of the Tiles & Architectural Ceramics Society, has written several books on tiles and ceramics, and publishes original research on the British tile industry of the 19th and 20th centuries.