Borghese Vase 1850 - 1900

The Wedgwood Manufactory created this Borghese Vase, a striking example of neoclassical ceramic art. Its creation speaks to the 18th-century fascination with antiquity, a period when artists and intellectuals looked to ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. This vase isn't just a decorative object; it embodies the complex interplay between art, class, and cultural appropriation. Wedgwood, as a company, capitalized on the trend for classical art, mass-producing items for the consumption of the British elite, while the imagery of idealized figures, often appropriated from classical sculptures, reinforced a vision of beauty rooted in European ideals, subtly excluding other narratives. The emotional effect is one of cool detachment, a kind of aesthetic distancing that reminds us of the power dynamics at play. Ultimately, the vase reflects the era's cultural values and invites us to consider how historical objects like this one participate in shaping our understanding of beauty, history, and identity.