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Pope Ware
Howard Kottler (1930–1989)
circa 1968
Medium/Technique
Plastic, leather, cloth; Bag 1 of 4
Dimensions
Height x width (Bags): 27.9 x 27.9 cm (11 x 11 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Howard Kottler Testamentary Trust
Accession Number2016.1.5
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsContemporary Art
ClassificationsCeramics
Popularized in the 19th century alongside expanding industrial ceramics manufacturing, commemorative plates emerged as souvenirs celebrating travel or important events connected to well-known figures. Using the commemorative function of gold trimmed dinnerware, ceramicist Howard Kottler applied commercial decals of the Pope to cheap white dinner plates he purchased in bulk to ridicule the Pope and all he stands for. For Kottler, his plates highlight how adoration is complex and contingent.
DescriptionBag 1 of 4
Provenance1989, upon the artist's death passed to the Howard Kottler Testamentary Trust; 2016, gift of the Howard Kottler Testamentary Trust to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 27, 2016)
CopyrightReproduced with permission the Howard Kottler Testamentary Trust