Vase with the Borghese Frieze c. 1790

Editor: Here we have Wedgwood's "Vase with the Borghese Frieze," standing at 46 centimeters. The figures have such a graceful, neoclassical feel. What do you make of this vase? Curator: It's a compelling example of how eighteenth-century art appropriated classical ideals. Wedgwood, though, was deeply entangled in the slave trade by commodifying abolitionist imagery. So, how do we reconcile this vase’s beauty with its complicated history? Editor: That is a really good point! So, can an object be beautiful and problematic? Curator: Absolutely. Examining these contradictions allows us to better understand the power dynamics at play during its creation and reception. Editor: Thank you; I will never look at neoclassical art in the same way. Curator: It challenges us to consider whose stories are being told and whose are being left out.