Lozenge-shaped Dish c. 1800

This lozenge-shaped dish was made by Wedgwood, the famous English pottery firm, sometime after 1759. It's earthenware, a relatively low-fired ceramic, with a cream-colored glaze and painted decoration. The interesting thing about Wedgwood is how attuned they were to the economic currents of their time. While earlier ceramics were often made individually, by hand, Wedgwood developed techniques for mass production. They took advantage of the division of labor, where each worker performed a single step in the process, over and over. This allowed them to produce ceramics more quickly and cheaply, making them accessible to a wider range of consumers. The decoration, too, is telling: simple green sprigs, quickly applied. The overall effect is charming, but it also speaks to a new era of industrial production, and the rise of a consumer society. It’s a reminder that even the most beautiful objects are often shaped by the forces of labor, politics, and consumption.