Plaque with Triumph of Cybele 1794

Editor: This is “Plaque with Triumph of Cybele,” made in 1794 by the Wedgwood Manufactory. The ceramic relief depicts a goddess in a chariot pulled by lions against a blue background. The stark contrast is striking; it’s quite arresting, but I'm unsure what the image signifies. What's your read of this artwork? Curator: Well, imagine yourself in the late 18th century, with Neoclassicism in full swing. We are presented here with Cybele, the Phrygian mother of the gods, serene amidst the…organized chaos of her lion-drawn chariot. That contrast is *key*, you see! Lions representing raw power and nature and the delicate white ceramic embodying order, artistry and human control. Wedgwood was essentially packaging up ancient myths for the aspirational classes. I think we can agree it’s more home décor than a raw religious experience. Wouldn't you agree? Editor: Yes, that makes sense! I hadn’t thought about it that way. More about possessing culture. It's clever, transforming myth into a… status symbol. Curator: Exactly! It's also an allegory of controlled chaos: civilisation reigning supreme! You find a powerful woman, you find strong nature-- harnessed, directed, and beautified by humankind's creativity and refinement. In that era people truly loved the ideas behind Neoclassicism. What will people from the future think about us and the items that survive from our world? Editor: That's fascinating! I'll never look at a Wedgwood piece the same way. The tension, that push-pull between taming something wild and what we deem cultured, that makes you think. Curator: Wonderful! Art ignites when you make it reflect back your own questions and passions and perspectives, you will go far.