Cameo Locket c. late 18th century

This is a cameo locket, made at the Wedgwood Manufactory. Consider the cameo as a historical artifact that speaks to the intimate intersection of power, class, and identity. Lockets were more than adornments; they were deeply personal objects, often containing portraits of loved ones. Yet, this locket presents a figure of authority, possibly royalty, set against the backdrop of the Wedgwood Manufactory. Wedgwood items were luxury goods, accessible primarily to the upper classes, so to wear this cameo was to align oneself with a particular social status. The cameo is rendered in white, a color that has historically been associated with purity and status, further reinforcing notions of power and privilege. This locket invites us to reflect on the relationship between personal adornment and the performance of identity. It prompts us to consider how objects mediate our understanding of self and our place within broader social structures.