Join us for “University City Ceramics: A Fresh Look,” a six-part online lecture series!

Led by SMCF Executive Director Jonathan Clancy, Ph.D., this series explores Edward Gardner Lewis’ ambitious University City Ceramics project and the pioneering artists he brought together, including Taxile Doat, Adelaide Alsop Robineau, and Frederick Hurten Rhead. Though the project was short-lived, it became a remarkable moment in American ceramics history and helped shape the future of ceramics education.

Session Four: April 11, at 1:00 PM EDT via Zoom
The Robineaus and University City

In hindsight, so rapid was her transformation it can appear as though Adelaide Robineau willed herself into a successful ceramist. Initially a China painter, then a publisher, and finally an artist in porcelain, Robineaus rapid rise to prominence was a testament to the strength of Keramic Studio–the monthly published by her and her husband Samuel–and of her work that was illustrated therein. It was the Keramic Studio Publishing Company that took Taxile Doat’s serialized articles, and in 1905 issued them as book, effectively starting a transformation in American ceramics.

It is a miracle that Robineaus masterpiece, the Scarab Vase–which because of her contract she did not retain ownership of–survived its time in the kiln, the tumultuous downfall of University City, and wound up at the Everson Museum of Art where you can view it today. One might think that working alongside Doat–the man literally responsible for much of her technical knowledge–would have been the apex of her career, but the legacy and impact of University City on Robineau was more complicated. In this session, we’ll track her rise as a ceramist, explore the works created at University City, and think through its eventual impact on her later career.

A La Carte
Member Price: $30 / session
Non-Member Price: $35 / session

Full Course
Member Price: All 6 sessions for $150 (one session free)
Non-Member Price: All 6 sessions for $210

Registration is required. Once registered and paid, you will receive an email prior to each session with a link to join.

Do you have a scheduling conflict for the live session? You can still enjoy the program. Register and we’ll send you the recording! All paid attendees will be emailed a private link to the session recording when it is available, typically 6-7 days after the live program.

Missed us? You can also register retroactively. If you register for a session that has passed, you’ll receive access to the recording when it is ready.

Haven’t tried a session yet? Each session is planned as a “stand-alone” lecture, so you can take them all or attend the topics that interest you most.