A STUNNING collection of ceramic objects by the pre-eminent Victorian ceramic designer William De Morgan has opened at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight.

Sublime Symmetry: De Morgan Ceramics, featuring around 70 objects on loan from The De Morgan Foundation, will be on display until January 9, 2022.

Born in 1839, De Morgan was a lifelong friend of William Morris and became a leading figure in the Arts and Craft movement in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Famed for richly-coloured, lustrous glazed tiles and pottery with birds and fantastical beasts for decoration, De Morgan’s work used innovative glazes and firing techniques while his tiles often recall medieval or Islamic design patterns.

Nicola Scott, exhibition curator, National Museums Liverpool, said: “De Morgan combined technical genius with artistic flair to create these symmetrical designs, with patterns of birds and mythical creatures amongst his most imaginative and iconic. The exhibition celebrates the structure and technical process of the artist as well as the beauty of the ceramics.

“On a personal note, I can’t help but think of Liverpool with its Liver Bird emblem and the fabulous Audubon books in the city’s Central Library with their exquisite and world-famous bird illustrations. Liverpool City Region feels like the perfect place to celebrate this imaginative, technical and bird-loving genius.”

The De Morgan pieces will be exhibited alongside the Lady Lever Art Gallery’s internationally renowned Pre-Raphaelite collection which includes world-famous paintings by Edward Burne-Jones.

The exhibition is free to enter but visitors are encouraged to pay what they think is a fitting price.