Passing the plate (1912)

Dated 1912, "Passing the plate" is an artwork by William Henry Walker. Context for 1912: Dada and Surrealism followed the First World War, the Bauhaus school was founded in 1919, and Art Deco became the fashionable decorative style of the 1920s and 1930s. Posters, magazines, and illustrated books were major ways for the public to meet new art and design. Background on Illustration: The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are often described as a golden age of book and magazine illustration. Printing methods such as woodcut, engraving, lithography, and photomechanical reproduction each shaped how illustrators worked. It is listed in the Illustration collection. The image is in landscape orientation.

"Passing the plate" is offered as a printable file (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI) rather than a shipped item. You receive the files by email after payment and handle printing yourself, which gives you full control over paper, size, and finish. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Measuring the wall before choosing a size is the simplest way to avoid a print that feels too small or too large. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour.

American, 1871–1938

If you like the visual language of William Henry Walker, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.