vellum glaze, floral band on light burgundy, shape #1321E, 3 3/4", typical crazing otherwise excellent........Born in 1869, Hurley was the son of Irish immigrants and one of seven children. His decision to pursue art didn’t come until after he had graduated from Xavier College in 1887. It was a visit to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago that inspired him to attend evening classes at the Art Academy, where he studied painting with renowned artist Frank Duveneck. Impressed by his pen-and-ink drawings, Duveneck suggested that Hurley try his hand at etching, and proceeded to teach him the complicated processes involved in creating a print. Hurley went to work as a decorator at Rookwood Pottery in 1896 and remained there for 52 years. He painted landscapes and nature scenes on ceramic pieces, winning a gold medal during the St. Louis 1904 exhibition. In 1907 he married Irene Bishop, a fellow decorator at Rookwood, and the couple bought a home on St. James Avenue in Walnut Hills.

typical crazing otherwise excellent