McIntosh Fine Bone China
Amazing Facts Videos
We continue to look at the stories behind the famous paintings that inspired the McIntosh Mugs. Let's find out some amazing facts about Degas' The Dance Lesson.
5 Amazing Facts - Edgar Degas The Dance Lesson
Peter here from McIntosh Mugs. Edgar Degas’ The Dance Lesson is an intriguing Impressionist painting that is much more than it seems on first glance! Check out these amazing facts behind this famous masterpiece from 1879.
1. Edgar Degas was born in Paris, France in 1834. Degas became known as one of the founders of Impressionism but interestingly rejected the movement, and was actually one of its vocal critics, considering himself a realist.
2. Degas studied the masters, working at the Louvre at young age he was able to replicate famous paintings and on his later journey to Italy, he was able to study and reproduce artwork by Davinci and Rafael. This study of the early Masters led to his own mastery as a skilled artist.
3. Degas is known for his paintings of Ballet Dancers such as in the Dance Lesson, a subject he returned to over and over again. He would regularly visit the Paris Opera House to observe dancers and go backstage, in order to accurately capture their effort. Degas made more than 1,000 paintings of dancers throughout his life.
4. Degas was influenced by Japanese prints and this is reflected in the Dance Lesson, Notice how the large expanse of floor appears to tilt upwards while figures are deliberately placed off-centre or are cut off at unexpected angles.
5. The Dancers in the Dance Lesson to the left are exhausted, with the Dancer in the orange shawl sitting on a double bass. The Dancer in the pink shawl sits in a chair for a break, while the dancers to the far right continue practising their moves in the light of the large window.
Thank you for listening to these amazing facts about Edgar Degas’ The Dance Lesson. Visit our website www.mcintoshmugs.com to see the Fine Bone China Tea Mug inspired by this masterpiece. Plus, let us know in the comments what you think of this remarkable painting.
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We continue to discover the stories behind famous Old Masters artwork which have inspired our fine bone china McIntosh coffee & tea mugs.
Peter here from McIntosh Mugs. Martin Johnson Heade’s Cattleya Orchid & Three Hummingbirds is a fascinating painting! Check out these amazing facts behind this famous 19th century masterpiece.
1. Martin Johnson Heade was an American artist born in Pennsylvania in 1819, but this and many other of his most famous paintings were inspired by and painted on his travels to the tropics, including Brazil in the 1860’s & 1870’s.
2. An early “painter of light”. Heade’s study of light and his mastery of the subject can be well seen in Cattleya Orchid & Three Hummingbirds as sunlight battles through the canopy of the misty jungle, while storm clouds threaten on the horizon.
3. The oil painting features three hummingbirds but upon close inspection two of the hummingbirds that are hovering are green-and-pink Brazilian amethysts and the hummingbird perched on the branch nearby is a red-tailed Sappho Comet.
4. This painting draws you in, and when you look closely, you discover not only the hummingbird’s nest but eggs inside the nest, making the hummingbirds presence and activity all the more poignant.
5. Heade’s orchid is beautiful and bold, opulent pink with light green stems and pods, dominating the painting on first glance. Heade’s asking us to think about nature and how this lonely defenceless orchid survives and thrives in the jungle environment.
Thank you for listening to these amazing facts about Martin Johnson Heade’s Cattleya Orchid and three hummingbirds. Visit our website www.mcintoshmugs.com to see the Fine Bone China Grande Mug inspired by this masterpiece. Plus, let us know in the comments what you think of this remarkable painting.
Peter here from McIntosh Mugs. One of our favourite tea mugs is Cezanne’s Still Life with Apples! Check out these amazing facts behind this famous post-impressionist masterpiece.
1. Cezanne was fascinated with apples. They were the centre of his attention, due to their variety in colour, and the simplicity and completeness of their form. Plus, they don’t spoil quickly! As his work was prolonged, this was an important consideration for the artist.
2. Cezanne was terrified of women. Many believe that due to this affliction the tormented Cezanne chose the study of apples as they are a symbol of Venus and an attribute of Eve.
3. The painting was transferred to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia after World War II. Taken from the Otto Krebs Collection in Germany by the Soviets in 1949, some claimed it was part of the booty of war, others claim it was taken illegally. The jury on this subject remains out to this day.
4. Still life paintings were considered the lowliest genre of its day, but Cezanne didn’t subscribe to this viewpoint, saying “painting from nature is not copying the object, it is realizing one’s sensations”.
5. Cezanne painted apples from different perspectives and viewpoints, straight on, above, and sideways, always experimenting. Cezanne proclaimed “With an apple I want to astonish Paris”, and he did!
Thank you for listening to these amazing facts about Paul Cezanne’s Still Life With Apples. Visit our website www.mcintoshmugs.com to see the Tea Mug with Lid & Infuser inspired by this masterpiece. Plus, let us know in the comments what you think of this remarkable painting.
5 Amazing Facts about Rousseau's Tiger in a Tropical Storm
Read MoreI Love Coffee!
Like many of you, I'll start my day with a cup of coffee - the morning coffee is always the best one. After lunch, it is time for a second cup.
Repeating this process daily has led me to enjoy coffee in many containers from paper cups to plastic travel mugs to standard white hotelware teacups. I have to admit they all have their charm.
But none of them compare to the enjoyment of a cup of coffee (or tea) in my fine bone china mug. I don't have any science to back me up and I'm not sure what makes my coffee taste better; if it is the visual attractiveness of the mugs, the weight and balance in the hand, the thin yet strong composition, or many of the other features of fine bone china. What I do know is there is a clear and discernible difference in the enjoyment of coffee and tea.
Fine bone china is simply better.
Once discovered, it has become our life's purpose to spread the word about this revelation.
This is why at McIntosh we are so proud to only make fine bone china coffee mugs which are the core of our appeal. We combine beautiful, unique designs, classic art, and great value to provide the added element for the perfect coffee or tea mug.
So join us and help spread the word that coffee and tea taste better in a fine bone china mug!
Happy Hot Beverage Enjoyment, Peter
Many of you are passionate about your hot beverage of choice...ourselves included. While there are all types of ceramic and paper products to consume your drink of choice, many of us swear by our fine bone china mugs. Don't take my word for it. You know best and here is what many of you have told us about your McIntosh mugs:
"Love them." Debbie
"a very happy customer - great product" Janet
"I was at the National Art Gallery enjoying the Gustave Dore Exhibit, then went to the gift shop for something special to take away with me. That is where I found your wonderful bone china tea cups of Tom Thomson’s work presented in the gorgeous gift box. What exceptional presentation and value for the price, well done!" S
"I gave these mugs to an artist friend of mine. She was thrilled and just kept saying over and over again, "These are gorgeous." In addition, she used the beautiful box they were packaged in as a greeting card holder. If you want to give an impressive gift to a special someone who loves the arts, this is the way to go!!!" M
"Perfect! Great product btw" Keith
"Grande mugs -- love them!" Kay
"P.S. They are really beautiful mugs. I saw them in a bookstore before Christmas but now they are sold out. " V
"Such a nice deviation from the big heavy coffee mugs most people use. These are very nice bone china and the designs are cheerful" S
"Do you send this item to Australia. Please advise as I would love to own another one." Kerrie
"Exquisite and such a beautiful gift for those who love coffee, art, nice things and has everything. What a conversation piece when opened without costing a fortune, but appearing it did." T
"Love Love this mug!!! So much so I bought another mug!!" R
Let us know what you think of your McIntosh Mug!
Peter McIntosh
Functionality meets design...this is the short answer.
For background purposes, the Grande Mug shape was introduced by McIntosh Fine Bone China in 2011 with a few designs. It immediately became one of the most successful McIntosh shapes in the entire collection and remains so today!
The longer answer is the McIntosh Grande Mug is an exceptionally beautiful mug. The thin translucent nature of fine bone china allows large mugs such as this to not be clunky or heavy, but continue to be light, strong, and elegant! This creates a sensational experience for coffee and tea drinkers as they enjoy their favorite beverage. The unique square shape and large area create the perfect template for beautiful art.
But wait...it's the art, isn't it? Yes, combining the shape and fine bone china with beautiful art from Old Masters such as Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, and Cezanne creates a beautiful mug that proud owners rave about!
Here are some testimonials:
"Grande mugs -- we love them!" - Kay
"Such a nice deviation from the big heavy coffee mugs most people use. These are very nice bone china and the designs are cheerful" - S
"Exquisite and such a beautiful gift for those who love coffee, art, nice things and has everything. What a conversation piece when opened without costing a fortune, but appearing it did." - T
"I gave these mugs to an artist friend of mine. She was thrilled and just kept saying over and over again, "These are gorgeous." In addition, she used the beautiful box they were packaged in as a greeting card holder. If you want to give an impressive gift to a special someone who loves the arts, this is the way to go!!!" - M
Yes, we invite you to share the news of McIntosh Grande Mugs too! Coffee mugs can look this good...Cheers!
Welcome to McIntosh Shop - Official Home of McIntosh Fine Bone China Mugs!
As this is my first blog post, let me tell you a little bit about why we exist. In the beginning, which for us was 1906, we were entrepreneurs. We specialized in coffee, tea, tableware and gifts, with a gift shop on Bank Street in Ottawa.
Here we are over 100 years later, and we are still entrepreneurs. We specialize in fine bone china coffee mugs, which are great tableware gifts for your coffee and tea! We had a few detours along the way, but the one constant over the years is we have a passion for quality, design and function. We've learned that when these three intersect, the winner is the customer who gets a fabulous product.
As a result, this is what we do: We passionately design and create fine bone china coffee and tea mugs for the discerning shopper. The more we do, the more we want to do. We absolutely love our mugs and want to share them with the world. We hope you love them too! If you do, help us spread the word on why McIntosh Fine China Mugs are the best way to enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea!
