John Milton 1785 - 1799

This striking portrait of John Milton was created by Josiah Wedgwood, the master potter, in England sometime in the late 18th century. Wedgwood’s factory popularized neoclassical designs, and his work was tied to the burgeoning artistic and intellectual movement of the Enlightenment. Milton, the famous 17th-century poet, was an important symbol for Enlightenment thinkers, many of whom championed individual liberty and republicanism. Milton, a defender of the English revolution, was admired by many American revolutionaries, too. The black basalt material and cameo-like relief give this portrait a classical feel, as if it were an artifact from ancient Greece or Rome. But such objects were being made in series and sold to a wide market, as tokens of taste and learning for the rising middle classes. Understanding the cultural context of this work allows us to better appreciate the complex interplay between art, commerce, and politics in the 18th century. Consulting period sources, such as Wedgwood's trade catalogs, can reveal how art was marketed and consumed in this transformative era.