Wedgwood and the English Country House

Part of the Grosvenor Museum Society lecture series

The artistic world of the eighteenth century was defined by the neoclassical movement. Neoclassicism spread throughout Europe and America as the Grand Tour of ancient sites in Europe gained popularity, particularly those of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Ideas surrounding classical art were transferred across the continent through the journals, etchings, paintings,and in the work of Josiah Wedgwood, who founded Wedgwood pottery, & began his manufactory as neoclassicism reached its climax. Through association with various friends, artists, and authors–Thomas Bentley, Sir William Hamilton, John Flaxman, and Winckelmann to name a few–Wedgwood began emulating the neoclassical style. The neoclassical style did not, however, merely pervade his art. It made itself known through his own philosophies. Wedgwood became a proponent of freedom and individuality. His influence on design is apparent in many great 18th century houses to this day.

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