Augustus, Viscount Keppel 1775 - 1785

Editor: Here we have "Augustus, Viscount Keppel," a ceramic relief sculpture made sometime between 1775 and 1785 by Wedgwood and Bentley. The contrast between the crisp white profile and the blue background is really striking. What strikes you about this work? Curator: Immediately, the material itself – Wedgwood jasperware – tells a compelling story. It's not marble, the traditional sculptural medium of the era, but a meticulously crafted ceramic. We need to ask: what does this substitution signify? What was the labour that produced such a flawless ceramic relief, especially compared to that required for carving marble? Editor: So you're saying the *choice* of material is crucial to understanding it? Curator: Absolutely. This wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about industrial innovation. Wedgwood was revolutionizing ceramic production, creating "art" for a burgeoning middle class. Who could afford marble portraiture, and who could afford this more accessible piece of decorative art? Editor: Interesting. It connects to consumerism then? Curator: Precisely. This piece isn't just a portrait of a Viscount; it’s a material object embedded within a specific socio-economic context. Consider the mold-making process: how did that impact the artist’s hand versus the increasing importance of mechanization within production? Think of who profited most here. Editor: So, we’re less focused on Keppel himself and more on how his image was reproduced and consumed as an object. I'll have to remember that perspective! Curator: Exactly. Seeing art as the product of labor and a reflection of its material conditions, changes everything. Editor: Definitely gives me something to think about, seeing art with its industrial processes and economic impact, beyond just who is being depicted.