Looking back at key moments in Wedgwood's design history, this book
celebrates the manufacturer's visual power and great design from its
founding in 1759 to the present day.
The name Wedgwood has come to stand for something far beyond its
illustrious and energetic founder: it has united art and industry;
introduced design and artistic collaborations; and pioneered the
development ofthe firm's iconic blue-and-white jasperware. This book
tells that story through design, reflecting the continuing role that
Wedgwood and its designers, artists, and employees have played in
setting trends--including collaborations with many British artists and
designers such as Christopher Dresser, Eric Ravilious, and Keith Murray.
Wedgwood continuously responds to the market and produces high-quality,
desirable ceramicsfor a broad range of consumers, yet remains faithful
to the traditions established by Josiah Wedgwood in the eighteenth
century.
The book presents highlights from the internationally renowned V&A
Wedgwood Collection, praised by the Art Fund--one of the UK's leading
art organizations--as "one of the most important industrial archives,"
containing around 80,000 objects. This archive reflects the unique
proposition of Wedgwood's business: by operating in both the
"ornamental" and "useful" markets, Wedgwood has been able to bring
innovative ceramic design to a broad and increasingly international
clientele. These ceramics and their stories demonstrate the artistic
heritage, craft, and innovation that have become synonymous with the
Wedgwood name for more than 250 years.
