Vase with cover 1769 - 1780

Editor: This intriguing vase, "Vase with Cover," was created between 1769 and 1780 by Wedgwood and Bentley. Crafted from ceramic, it’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm immediately struck by the overall somber tone and the dramatic presence of those lion head handles. What can you tell me about it? Curator: This piece embodies the Neoclassical movement’s fascination with antiquity, and more specifically the use of this aesthetic by those with an active abolitionist cause. Consider that Wedgwood was deeply involved in the abolitionist movement, producing items bearing the slogan "Am I Not a Man and a Brother?" Do you see echoes of ancient forms, particularly Greek and Roman vases? Editor: Definitely. It looks like something straight out of a museum of antiquities. So the vase style was popular at the time? Curator: Absolutely. It's essential to remember that Neoclassicism was more than just an aesthetic preference. It also served as a means to promote ideals like reason, order, and civic virtue, ideas that resonated strongly during the Enlightenment. But notice how this isn’t a celebratory, colorful scene as you would see during the Renaissance, but something of a far darker political message. Editor: So the serious tone I noticed wasn't just my imagination; it's a deliberate part of the statement! That's fascinating. How does knowing Wedgwood was a passionate abolitionist affect how we view this work? Curator: Well, considering that art can be viewed in dialogue with socio-political issues, can you see the political relevance and messaging through design for reform and greater equality of opportunity, beyond just taste or status? How would an abolitionist use imagery at this time? Editor: This piece is more than just a vase, but a piece with symbolic potency about pressing political ideas. I see the artist using something from history to discuss issues very present at the time. Curator: Exactly.