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Bridgeless Chinoiserie
Hermit
Man in Doorway

 

 

The "Bridgeless pattern" (also known as "Bridgeless Chinoiserie", "Hermit", or "Man in Doorway") is a popular design found on ceramics, particularly transferware. It features an image of a man, often depicted as a hermit or someone in a doorway, surrounded by Chinese-inspired landscapes and architectural elements. 

In many Chinoiserie and Blue Willow patterns, a small bridge with figures crossing it is a common motif. A "bridgeless" pattern lacks this iconic bridge element.
So, Bridgeless Chinoiserie refers to a decorative style in Chinoiserie ceramics that includes typical East Asian imagery but without the bridge.

This pattern was commonly produced by makers such as Davenport and Minton in Staffordshire and the Verreville Pottery in Glasgow. 

It was one of the earliest transferware patterns, apparently originating at Minton (c. 1795-1805), and then quickly adopted by many other manufacturers. But then the fashion just as quickly changed, and all but a few (Minton and Davenport, mostly) dropped the pattern - most examples do not have a makers mark.