Lectures on the Lawn at Kenmore

Appearance is Everything: Mary Washington And Her Specialized Ceramics of Gentility

Mara Kaktins – Ceramics and Glass Specialist at The George Washington Foundation

Mary Washington, mother to George, was widowed young.  Her decision not to remarry meant she faced an uphill battle raising five children to be successful adults and members of the Virginia gentry class, Consequently it was important that she cultivate a refined household with appropriate table and teawares. Excavations at her Ferry Farm, her longtime home, reveal a woman who carefully selected ceramics to perform very specific tasks while at the same time not overextending her budget, one that had decreased significantly following the death of her husband.  She also directed that broken fashionable ceramics be repaired to extend their use life.  These ceramics contributed to her goal of remaining of the gentry class and giving her children a good head start to do the same, a task she overwhelmingly succeeded in.

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