Description:

A round earthenware tazza printed in colors with elaborate decoration.  Designed by John Leighton to commemorate the death of Prince Albert, in the center is a portrait of the late Prince Consort surrounded by allegorical representations of Art, Science and Literature, flanked by winged maidens holding emblems of his many achievements.

The captions are as follows: "Arts: Albert Promoter of the Arts."  "Science: President of Societies for Science." "Literature: Chancellor of an University."  Between these panels, winged figures hold three symbols of his achievements: "Osborne: The Island Palace Home 1860"; "The Palace of Legislature 1855"; and "The Palace of Industry of All Nations 1851." Around the whole is an excerpt from his first speech, on May the 18th, 1848.

Prince Albert had been a loyal supporter of the Art Union movement. The Art Union of London was a society to which a large number of people subscribed. To mark his death the Union committee commissioned Copeland to manufacture a tazza which could also function as a card tray. Sixty of the tazzas were distributed in 1862 and one hundred the following year.