Josiah Wedgwood: Experimentation and Innovation

Josiah Wedgwood’s ambition was to become ‘Vase Maker General to the Universe’. In this lecture, Catrin Jones, Chief Curator at the Wedgewood Museum explores the origins and early history of his factory in Etruria, Staffordshire, and the many innovations in technique, material, and style he pioneered and marketed to establish Wedgwood as one of the most recognisable names in British ceramics. While the story of ceramics is a global one, Britain has played a leading role in the last three centuries, a period in which British invention has shaped developments and brought constant renewal to the industry. Ceramics in Britain, 1750 to Now, delivered by experts in the field, will explore five key influential developments in the history of British ceramics since the mid-eighteenth century, examining the multiple ways in which innovators, entrepreneurs, and artists have reinvigorated the field.