Plaque 1776 - 1796

Curator: I find myself drawn to the serene scene depicted in this ceramic relief plaque, crafted by Josiah Wedgwood between 1776 and 1796. Editor: It has an almost dreamlike quality, doesn't it? The soft green background and the bright white figures give it a feeling of lightness, of floating on clouds. Curator: Wedgwood's plaques were immensely popular, especially those in the Neoclassical style. This particular piece, found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, embodies the elegance sought after during the late 18th century. The market dictated a revival of ancient aesthetics that could serve a purpose. Editor: Absolutely. You see Venus reclining with putti on a cloud – eternal symbols of love and innocence. The arrow in Cupid's hand adds an undercurrent of, shall we say, the unpredictability of love. Curator: Precisely. Wedgwood tapped into a market that valued refinement and idealized narratives. He elevated the decorative arts into something that echoed aristocratic tastes, though on an industrial scale, shaping bourgeois identity. Editor: I am struck by how the classical imagery, made accessible through mass production, brought this high-art vocabulary into everyday lives. Wedgwood clearly knew the power of these images and the emotions tied to their repetition over centuries. He was brilliant at understanding symbols and marketing them. Curator: Wedgwood revolutionized the ceramic industry, blurring the lines between art, industry, and social aspiration. This "Plaque," although a modest artwork, symbolizes larger movements of accessible classicism. Editor: Indeed, thinking about the deeper symbols makes it resonate much more powerfully now. A little glimpse into how visual culture shaped perceptions of love, beauty, and status, and in a wider political dimension, as well.