Mary Elizabeth Nugent, Marchioness of Buckingham 1785 - 1799

This is a portrait of Mary Elizabeth Nugent, Marchioness of Buckingham, made by Josiah Wedgwood out of black basalt. Wedgwood was an innovator, using industrial methods to produce luxury goods. This portrait plaque, with its matte surface and refined modeling, imitates ancient Roman cameos. But unlike those hand-carved objects, this one was cast from a mold, allowing Wedgwood to produce many nearly identical examples, speeding up production. The choice of black basalt is also significant. Its color evokes both classical antiquity and the Industrial Revolution, aligning the sitter with both timeless beauty and modern power. Wedgwood's factory was a marvel of division of labor, with each worker performing a specific task. This allowed for increased efficiency and lower costs, but also created a workforce that was increasingly deskilled. Wedgwood's work embodies the complex relationship between art, industry, and society in the 18th century, and the tension between handcraft and industrial processes.