One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Object NamePlate

Maker Deborah Elizabeth Cocks

Made FromGlass, glass enamel

Date1994-1995

Place MadeAustralia

Techniqueslumped, reverse-enameled, scratched with a stylus

SizeOverall H: 50.3 cm, W: 50.4 cm

Accession Number95.6.12

Curatorial Area(s)

Postwar and Contemporary

Exhibitions

Ausglass in Adelaide

Not On View

Physical DescriptionColorless non-lead glass, transparent polychrome glass enamels; slumped, reverse-enameled, scratched with a stylus, multiple firings. Thick, flat square of glass slumped so only a small centered square is slightly concave, overall intricate reverse-enameled decoration with black outlines and details filled with color, around top half of overall composition is a narrow border band with yellow-amber background filled with top views of various crawling insects; plate has been divided into three general vertical rectangular sections; the entire front left segment is filled with a large yellow vase holding a bouquet of red-orange and purple flowers sitting on the upturned section of a round table with black edge; center vertical section consists of top semi-circle extending from exterior border to edge of slumped center square, semi-circle is bordered with a light blue band also filled with crawling insects, within border is a large brown rat in profile against a yellow background with three white diapers fluttering from a clothes line, center concave square has a border enclosing a light blue background, in the foreground a black bull head mask with blue eyes faces forward upon the shoulders of a human, at lower left are the profiles of a white dog with hanging tongue and a yellow rooster, bottom rectangle has three non-identical staggered human feet and ankles facing forward on yellow ground hatched to create plaited appearance, above is a light blue horizon, two borders on short sides have red background and vertical rows of white toe or finger nails facing in; top half of front right panel is filled with overlapping red and orange safety- and clothes pins and three blue fish against a transparent bluish white background with faint interlocking linear patterning, bottom half of section is divided into five small narrow horizontal rectangles filled with horizontal elements.
Provenance

Source Glass Artists Gallery, Glebe - 1995-03-17