Wedgwood Jasperware

Jasperware is a type of stoneware first developed by Josiah Wedgwood. During his long career Wedgwood developed revolutionary ceramic materials, notably basalt and jasperware. It is noted for its matte finish and is produced in a variaty of different colors, but the best known is a pale blue that has become known as Wedgwood blue. Jasperware is his most successful innovation, was a durable unglazed ware most characteristically blue with fine white cameo figures inspired by the ancient Roman Portland Vase. The most famous artist Wedgwood employed at Etruria was the sculptor John Flaxman, whose wax portraits and other relief figures he translated into jasperware. Along with Wedgwood’s invention of jasperware he also impacted the pottery world by his invention of the pyrometer, a device for measuring high temperatures-invaluable for gauging oven heats for firings, earned him commendation as a fellow of the Royal Society.

References:

•  http://www.thepotteries.org/potters/wedgwood.htm

• David Raizman, History of Modern Design, Prentice-Hall