Wedgwood Symposium

Join us for a morning of all things Wedgwood, with industry experts Alastair Blanshard and Timothy Roberts.

The World of Wedgwood and the Rediscovery of Antiquity

The eighteenth century saw a revolution in architecture and the decorative arts. Not since the Renaissance had there been such interest in the history, literature, art, and monuments of ancient Greece and Rome. The Grand Tour to Italy became an established part of an elite man’s education. The world of the Ottoman Empire was increasingly open to travellers who wanted to see Egypt, the Holy Land, the Levant, and mainland Greece. Josiah Wedgwood’s distinctive neoclassical pottery belongs to this trend of renewed interest in antiquity.

This lecture explores the world that produced his distinctive designs and the figures that helped to create an eager market for his wares. It is a story of bold adventurers, scoundrels, forgers, and the occasional enlightened scholar.

About the Speaker

Alastair Blanshard is the Paul Eliadis Professor of Classics and Ancient History and the Director of the Centre for Western Civilisation at the University of Queensland.

Breaking the Mould: How Wedgwood Changed Ceramics

The name Wedgwood is synonymous with timeless elegance and quality products. Another of the firm’s key tenets is an enduring investment in innovation, from Josiah Wedgwood’s early clay and glaze experiments in the eighteenth century, to the use of computer-assisted design and manufacture techniques in the late twentieth century.

In this talk art historian Timothy Roberts will explore how Wedgwood has embraced tradition and change during its 265-year history, richly illustrated by many highlights of Wedgwood’s production, from iconic pieces to lesser-known jewels and even playful variations on familiar themes.

About the Speaker

Timothy Roberts is Curator of David Roche Gallery, a superb collection of eighteenth and nineteenth century European decorative arts located in Adelaide. A specialist in decorative arts and material culture, Roberts curated the exhibition Wedgwood: Master Potter to the Universe at David Roche Gallery in 2023, and co-curated Style & Spirit: the fashion of Chester Weinberg in 2024.

He contributed several chapters to With Heart & Hand: Art Pottery in Queensland 1900–1950, and has written several articles for Australiana, the quarterly magazine of the Australiana society.

Image Credits:

1. Image courtesy of Timothy Roberts.
2. Gavin Hamilton, James Dawkins and Robert Wood Discovering the Ruins of Palmyra, 1758. National Galleries of Scotland.