Lobed Circular Dish c. 1800

This set of creamware dishes with delicate green overglaze was made by Wedgwood in England sometime after 1759. These refined ceramics reflect the rise of industrial production methods in the eighteenth century. With his innovative factory, Josiah Wedgwood became a leading manufacturer, catering to the growing middle class and the aristocracy. The restrained neoclassical designs made Wedgwood famous. They signalled a shift away from the more flamboyant styles of the past. But the real ingenuity of Wedgwood was to exploit new technologies to achieve mass production. His ‘ornamental ware’ was within reach of ordinary people and played a key role in defining British national identity, with its references to a classical past. Objects like this tell us much about social aspirations, the rise of consumer culture and the importance of entrepreneurship in 18th-century England. Auction catalogues and manufacturer’s records can help us to understand more about their original context.