The Infant Academy 1780 - 1800

Curator: Let's discuss this intriguing relief sculpture entitled "The Infant Academy," crafted between 1780 and 1800 by Josiah Wedgwood. It resides here at the Met. The pale blue and white ceramic practically radiates, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. Instantly I’m transported. It feels so dreamy, almost otherworldly, like a snapshot of cherubic cloud-dwellers hard at work. There’s something innocent and absurdly academic at play. Like cherubs playing intellectuals, but in clay! Curator: The materials are key here. Wedgwood revolutionized ceramics, specifically with Jasperware, achieving this distinctive matte finish. Notice the extreme refinement possible only via industrialization – multiple firings, precise molds. It democratized access to Neoclassical aesthetics previously reserved for the wealthy elite. This piece becomes a commodity and cultural signifier all in one. Editor: A signifier for sure, a little chilly, don't you think? Those meticulously crafted babies... something about their blank stares gives me the shivers. Like they're part of an elaborate set, devoid of spontaneous warmth, perfect products reflecting the taste and values of their commissioner rather than possessing any intrinsic inner life. I am reacting to the cold precision; no humanity bleeds through in my view. Curator: That cold precision mirrors the era's emphasis on reason. It evokes an intellectual "academy." See how one cherub meticulously sketches, another holds what appears to be a pair of architectural dividers. These are very deliberate signals about enlightened thinking. Also it's easy to forget the conditions of the potteries—the children forced into labor. Their actual infant academies were nothing like this pastoral representation. Editor: You always drag us back to reality with grace. Fair enough, the idealized academy and the artist’s materials also are signifiers that obscure a more sordid reality for children during that time. Still, I cannot help finding solace in its otherworldly vibe. I keep wanting to break that powder-blue and let those little artists tumble. Curator: Ultimately, this piece presents contradictions—craft and industry, idealization and a hidden social cost. Editor: A tidy reminder about looking closer and beyond the lovely pale surface to the story lurking below. The surface.