Intaglio 18th century

This is an Intaglio created by Josiah Wedgwood in the 18th century. Wedgwood was an English potter and entrepreneur who revolutionized ceramic production through industrialization. The piece reflects the neoclassical style popular at the time, which drew inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman art. The intaglio presents a profile of a woman, her features idealized. During this period, such depictions often served to reinforce ideas about beauty, femininity, and social status. Wealthy women were both consumers and subjects of these objects. The artwork maintains traditional representations of beauty while also functioning as a commodity within the burgeoning consumer culture of the 18th century. Reflecting on the intaglio, we can consider the intimate scale of the work in contrast to its broader implications about the commercialization of beauty and the role of women in society during the Enlightenment.