Side plate c. 1800

This side plate was made by Wedgwood in 1759, at a time when the Staffordshire potteries were transforming the culture of dining in Britain. Elegant ceramics had previously been available only to the aristocracy. But Josiah Wedgwood, a brilliant manufacturer and marketer, pioneered new techniques of mass production and distribution to serve a growing middle class. This plate, with its delicate green sprigs, reflects a vogue for botanical imagery that was fueled by increased global trade. New species were being discovered and cultivated in Europe, and the wealthiest families displayed their knowledge and sophistication through elaborate gardens. Transfer-printed earthenware enabled more people to participate in these cultural trends. Art historians consult design pattern books, trade catalogs, and archaeological reports to understand the social meaning of objects like this. We discover how changing tastes and social structures shape the production and consumption of art.