Dessert Plate c. 1800

This dessert plate was made by Wedgwood, the famous English pottery firm, sometime after 1759. Its elegant form and delicate green decoration are made possible by the nature of the material: fine-grained earthenware known as creamware. Creamware had the signal advantage of being able to take a crisp transfer-printed image, fixed in place by firing in a kiln. This made it a versatile, relatively inexpensive, and visually appealing alternative to traditional Delftware or imported Chinese porcelain. The technique also allowed for a new division of labor. One set of workers could specialize in potting and glazing, while others made and applied the decoration. The result was a very successful business model, supplying the burgeoning middle classes with a sense of luxury at an accessible price. So while it may look pretty, this plate also represents a key moment in the history of industrialization, when the decorative arts became truly enmeshed with capitalist modes of production.