Peacock figure

Established in 1793 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the Minton pottery and porcelain factory underwent a renaissance in 1848 when its director Herbert Minton employed a French potter Leon Arnoux (1816-1902). Promoted to Art Director in 1849, Arnoux soon introduced an impressive range of technical developments, most particularly the majolica glazes. First shown to the public in the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, these brilliantly coloured, translucent glazes were an instant success.