Wedgwood & Bentley (1768–1780). <em>Plaque</em>, ca.1775. Stoneware, 6 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. (16.5 x 64.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Emily Winthrop Miles, 60.198.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 60.198.1_SL1.jpg)

Wedgwood & Bentley (1768–1780). Plaque, ca.1775. Stoneware, 6 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. (16.5 x 64.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Emily Winthrop Miles, 60.198.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 60.198.1_SL1.jpg)

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Is this ivory? Or china?

The material itself is a type of ceramic known as stoneware which isn't quite as fine as china. This style of stoneware--white on a colored background--was developed by Wedgwood and is known as Jasperware.

The term Jasperware comes from what the Wedgwood artists were trying to imitate: ancient Roman pieces of jasper decorated with white figures. All of the clay starts out white and is then coated in a proprietary slip including very finely ground pigments.

Thanks!

Could you tell me who the nine muses are and what symbols they hold up, please?

Here is some info on the 9 Muses...they each personify one of the arts.

Here's a website that lists all of them, in relation to Wedgwood, for future reference, if you like! http://www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk/collections/themes/theme/wedgwood-and-the-iliad-/object/jasper-plaque-depicting-five-muses

What does the little figure here stand for?

This little figure may represent Idolino, a famous Roman bronze statue whose name means "little idol". The blending of Greek and Roman culture is typical of the Neoclassical style used in Wedgwood's pottery designs.

Plaque

Decorative Arts and Design

Apollo, who is shown at the center, was one of the principle deities of the Greeks. He was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin brother of Diana, the goddess of the hunt. Although mainly known as the god of the sun and prophecy, here he is depicted as Apollo Musagetes, the leader of the nine Muses, female divinities who presided over the arts and sciences. Each Muse is shown with her attribute. For example, Euterpe, Muse of lyric poetry, holds a paired flute, and Thalia, Muse of comedy, holds an actor's mask.

Plaques like this were sometimes framed as independent artworks, but were also inserted into wall panels, chimneypieces and mantels, and furniture. Each of the white figures was cast in clay in a separate mold and then applied to the colored plaques. In this way, each figure could be used as needed, either mounted individually on single small plaques or vases, or arranged in different groups. This interchangeability of decorative elements was a progressive factory procedure devised by Wedgwood that permitted a variety of different objects to be made easily from preexisting elements.

MAKER Wedgwood & Bentley, 1768–1780

MODELLED BY Probably John Flaxman, British, 1755–1826

MEDIUM Stoneware

DATES ca.1775

DIMENSIONS 6 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. (16.5 x 64.8 cm) (show scale)

MARKINGS WEDGWOOD / & BENTLEY" impressed on back.

SIGNATURE no signature

INSCRIPTIONS no inscriptions

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts and Design

ACCESSION NUMBER 60.198.1

CREDIT LINE Gift of Emily Winthrop Miles

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Wedgwood & Bentley (1768–1780). Plaque, ca.1775. Stoneware, 6 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. (16.5 x 64.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Emily Winthrop Miles, 60.198.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 60.198.1_SL1.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 60.198.1_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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