Figure of John Wilkes 1772 - 1775

Curator: This porcelain figure of John Wilkes, dating from around 1772-1775, is a rather interesting character study. He’s propped against a plinth draped with what looks to be the Bill of Rights. What do you think, first impression? Editor: Well, the whiteness is striking. All that pristine porcelain... almost feels sterile. You wouldn't think a piece about a fiery political figure would be so…bloodless. Curator: But porcelain wasn't just any material; it was revolutionary for its time, produced as these figures were churned out using industrial molds, which I think brings an intriguing contradiction, mass production and revolutionary fervor… Editor: Absolutely, this almost obsessive replication to me speaks volumes. A proto-mass media, if you will, using ceramic instead of newspapers. Who exactly bought these? Where would they have displayed Wilkes' figure? In their homes, to express their support? Curator: Precisely. It’s quite fascinating to consider its potential use. You have the figure himself striking a pose of casual defiance with a book literally enshrining liberty! I imagine, or hope anyway, this was crafted tongue-in-cheek, with a bit of satire to cut through all the neoclassical posturing. It makes the small cupid seem almost absurd, lending more irreverence to the setup. Editor: The juxtaposition does indeed make for such compelling visual rhetoric when viewed from the lens of commodity production! Porcelain wasn’t a cheap medium either; to create it in quantity spoke to the level of importance and power Wilkes had achieved at the time… How fascinating. It definitely forces us to think of value in so many ways: financial, political, material... all fired together in a kiln. Curator: You are spot on with those interpretations! I also get a vibe of restrained rebelliousness, which given the climate surrounding Wilkes, seems almost self-aware, even self-mocking in the best way. A very stylish revolutionary, if you ask me. Editor: Agreed, seeing it through the lens of process gives this objet d'art new light to see its multiple dimensions… so wonderfully enlightening.