Wedgwood's 19th Century Copy of the Portland Vase

Mid 19th century Wedgwood Portland vase, c.1840, produced as a…
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Mid 19th century Wedgwood Portland vase, c.1840, produced as a copy of the celebrated Portland vase, of oviform form with twin handles, decorated in white on black basalt with classical figures at various pursuits, the decoration also appearing on the base in the form of Paris wearing a Phrygian cap, impressed Wedgwood to foot rim, height 26.5 cm. Other Notes: the original Portland vase is attributed to the Roman gem-cutter Dioskouridesand is in the style of works made between 30-20 BC. It was discovered in the tomb of emperor Septimius Severus. And is beautifully decorated with a frieze of Peleus entering to meet Thetis in the presence of her parents and Aphrodite.

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  • Frieze - An architectural term denoting the flat, shaped or convex horizontal surface of furniture, between the architrave and the cornice, usually found on a cabinet or bookcase, or on desks and tables where it may include drawers, the area between the top and the legs. In ceramics, the term refers to the banding, of usually a repeating pattern, on the rims of plates and vases.
  • Manner of .... / Style of ..... - A cataloguing term where the item, in the opinion of the cataloguer is a work in the style of the artist, craftsman or designer, possibly of a later period.
  • Oviform /ovoid - The outline loosely resembling the shape of an egg.
  • Attributed - A cataloguing term where the item in the opinion of the cataloguers, is a of the period of the artist, craftsman or designer, and which probably in whole or part is the work of that person.
  • Aphrodite / Venus - In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, desire and beauty, whilst in Roman mythology she is called Venus.
  • Basalt - Basalt is a hard, dense volcanic rock formed from the rapid cooling of basaltic lava, and makes up most of the earth's oceanic crust.

    However it is also the name given by Josiah Wedgwood in 1768 to a fine black unglazed porcelain which he called Wedgwood Black Basalt.

    Using this fine-grained stoneware he was able to produce copies of the newly excavated Etruscan pottery from Italy, with a lustrous and smooth, surface, and this new innovation proved to be a huge commercial success.

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