Medallion with Augustus
Late 18th century
Medium
Stoneware (jasperware)
Dimensions
5.9 × 5.1 × 0.8 cm (2 5/16 × 2 × 11 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
67978
Art Historical Context
This delicate medallion from the Wedgwood Manufactory crafted in the late 18 century, captures the profile of Augustus, Rome's first emperor, in exquisite jasperware stoneware. Measuring just 5.9 × 5.1 × 0.8 cm, this small-scale sculpture exemplifies the British firm's mastery of neoclassical design, blending ancient grandeur with industrial innovation. Jasperware, Wedgwood's signature medium, features a matte, colored body—often the iconic blue—embellished with finely modeled white clay reliefs that seem to emerge from the surface like classical cameos. Developed by Josiah Wedgwood in the 17...
About the Artist
Wedgwood Manufactory
Wedgwood Manufactory, founded on 1 May 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood in Burslem, Staffordshire, England, revolutionized ceramics during the Industrial Revolution. Born into a family of potters, Josiah apprenticed under his elder brother Thomas at the Churchyard Works from age 14, mastering traditional techniques before partnering with Thomas Whieldon from 1754 to 1759, where he honed innovative glazes. ...