Josiah Wedgwood 18th century

Curator: Here we have an 18th-century ceramic sculpture titled "Josiah Wedgwood," currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's a profile portrait, a popular format during the Neoclassical period. Editor: My immediate impression is one of reserved dignity. The monochrome palette really strips away the frivolity, focusing on form and the character, the kind of man this is meant to convey. Curator: Precisely! Wedgwood, the man, was a titan of the Industrial Revolution, celebrated for his innovative pottery techniques and savvy marketing. The portrait reflects this image he cultivated. Editor: That dark, matte ceramic – it feels so… deliberate. Almost like a cameo, referencing classical antiquity. Curator: Indeed, the cameo format and Neoclassical style signal Wedgwood's desire to align himself with the ideals of the Enlightenment, with notions of virtue, reason, and refined taste. Though accessible to many thanks to mass production, his pieces symbolized higher societal ideals. Editor: So it's less about raw power, more about intellectual and artistic achievement symbolized via his products. The choice of profile, avoiding direct eye contact, also hints at a strategic public persona. Curator: Exactly. Wedgwood carefully curated his public image. His abolitionist medallion is another example. He recognized the power of symbols to shape public opinion. This portrait isn't just about likeness, but about projecting power and associating his name with civic virtues. Editor: Seeing it like this really humanizes history, doesn't it? Realizing that people were performing even then, acutely aware of the messages their image communicated. Curator: A permanent stage where Wedgwood set himself as a character of influence. This ceramic cast showcases that to me. Editor: Thanks, this perspective changed the way I’ll be approaching this object and other objects moving forward.