. Pottery and porcelain, from early times down to the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876 . Fig. ;U.— Jcajjc/t, fails to convey a full sense of the delicate character of the work(Fig. 93). They reached almost the perfection of gems. Fig. 94, a teapot, which not remarkahle for beauty of form orexecution, is given as an example of the work done by the Eng- WEDGWOOD WARE. 171 lish potters before Wedgwoods day, to meet the ordinary wants ofcommon life. It should be kept in mind, in estimating Wedgwoodscharacter, that he combined, in an eminent degree, the artlstiG and thecommercial facidties, and
. Pottery and porcelain, from early times down to the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876 . Fig. ;U.— Jcajjc/t, fails to convey a full sense of the delicate character of the work(Fig. 93). They reached almost the perfection of gems. Fig. 94, a teapot, which not remarkahle for beauty of form orexecution, is given as an example of the work done by the Eng- WEDGWOOD WARE. 171 lish potters before Wedgwoods day, to meet the ordinary wants ofcommon life. It should be kept in mind, in estimating Wedgwoodscharacter, that he combined, in an eminent degree, the artlstiG and thecommercial facidties, and thus w^as able to produce results of a strikingkind. Like Shakespeare, he was omnivorous, and browsed wherever thepastures were sweet. All food was good which could be turned intodelectable milk. Some of the most perfect of Wedgwoods work was made in theblack ha^alt; which, however, lacks the brilliancy that colors gave tothe jasper-ware. The example engraved (Fig. 95) is from Mr. Walesscollection. In 17S7 the most celebrated vase of antiquity, called the Barberini. Fig. ^^.— Wedgxcood Basalt. Vase, and now the Portland Vase, was to be sold by auction. Wedg-wood was inspired with a desire to possess it; probably with the inten-tion of making copies. He kept bidding upon it, but his competitorwas the Duchess of Portland, who also was inspired with the desireof ownership. Finally, when the price had reached eighteen hundredguineas, she sent Wedgwood word that he should have the loan of thevase, if he would withdraw his competition. It was so agreed; andWedgwood set to work. He paid AVebl)er five hundred guineas tomake the model, for he was not allowed to make a mould. He thenproduced fifty copies (some say fewer) in his jasper-ware, the body beingblack, with a tinge of blue; the reliefs being in white. It was asnearly a perfect reproduction as could be made by the hand of I have said, the cost of these was more than the price received. 172 POTTERY AND PORCELAIN. This r
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1878
