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Lot Essay
Encaustic painting refers to the matt enamel developed by Wedgwood to decorated dry bodied baslates wares in the Etruscan manner. Although the technique differs from the methods traditionally described as encautic decorating this is another example of Josiah Wedgwood's clever marketing as well as innovation. Wedgwood patented the technique in 1769 and was obliged to reveal his formula, a mixture of Cherokee clay and pigments but was unable to stop competitors in Staffordshire and London decorators copying the technique.
The technique came into its own when it was used to produce wares inspired by the Greek and Italian vases from the collection of Sir William Hamilton. Prints form the four volume work Antiquités étrusques, grecques, et romaines by Baron Pierre D'Hancarville were made available to Wedgwood in 1768 before the prints were generally available in England. The most notable of these popular early vases was the commemorative First Day's vases, made at the new Etruria works and decorated at the Chelsea atelier in 1769. The style proved popular both at home and abroad for much of the last quarter of the 18th century and was seen on vases, jardinières, decorative plaques (see lot 8 this sale) as well as tea and tablewares.
In her book Memorials of Wedgwood (London, 1874) Eliza Meteyard discusses Wedgwood's use of antique forms and illustrates several forms in section including one form very similar to that of the present jardinières, for a re-printing of this work by the Buten Museum of Wedgwood see Eliza Meteyard, Wedgwood Trio (Merion, 1967), pp. 155-6.
The technique came into its own when it was used to produce wares inspired by the Greek and Italian vases from the collection of Sir William Hamilton. Prints form the four volume work Antiquités étrusques, grecques, et romaines by Baron Pierre D'Hancarville were made available to Wedgwood in 1768 before the prints were generally available in England. The most notable of these popular early vases was the commemorative First Day's vases, made at the new Etruria works and decorated at the Chelsea atelier in 1769. The style proved popular both at home and abroad for much of the last quarter of the 18th century and was seen on vases, jardinières, decorative plaques (see lot 8 this sale) as well as tea and tablewares.
In her book Memorials of Wedgwood (London, 1874) Eliza Meteyard discusses Wedgwood's use of antique forms and illustrates several forms in section including one form very similar to that of the present jardinières, for a re-printing of this work by the Buten Museum of Wedgwood see Eliza Meteyard, Wedgwood Trio (Merion, 1967), pp. 155-6.