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Josiah Wedgwood - Part 1
Josiah Wedgwood - Part 1
How did Wedgwood create one of the most famous ceramic companies in British history? And what fueled his obsession with science and experimentation? Join Paul Greenhalgh is joined by Sir Tristram Hunt to discuss 18th century England and the life and work of potter, scientist and abolitionist Josiah Wedgwood.
"Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:
Josiah Wedgwood, 1730—17
Soup Tureen with Lid (Creamware), Circa 1770—80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
Terrine With Lid and Saucer (Creamware), Circa 1800—15, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
Platter (Creamware), Circa 1780., Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
The First Day's Vase (Black Basalt), 1769, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum
Dinner Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum
Platter ‘Frog Service’, 1773—74, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum
Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773—74, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum
"
Professor Paul Greenhalgh is a specialist on the art and design of the Modern period. He has written widely on Art Nouveau and curated several exhibitions including the major survey Art Nouveau 1890-1914, which toured internationally (2000-01). His books include Ephemeral Vistas (1988), Modernism in Design (1990), Art Nouveau 1890–1914 (2000), The Modern Ideal (2005), Fair World (2011), L’Art Nouveau: La Revolution Decorative (2013), Ceramic Art and Civilisation (2021) and Pablo Picasso: The Legacy of Youth (2022). He has held positions as Head of Research at the V&A Museum, London; President and Director at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC; Director of the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich; and Inaugural Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, London. He was born and raised in Bolton, and is a proud Lancastrian.
Stephanie Rozene is a ceramic artist, Professor of Art, and the Ceramics Program Coordinator at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York she has been teaching, writing and making art since 2004. At Hartwick she's been honored with the Wandersee Scholar in Residence award twice, along with the Teacher Scholar Award. Stephanie's research uses historical ornament and porcelain as a visual language to critique contemporary political rhetoric, and she also explores the history of clay as a cooking tool. Her work has been shown extensively both nationally and internationally. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and is the Vice President of the board of trustees for the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, and was educated at NSCAD University in Nova Scotia, Canada and the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.
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Josiah Wedgwood - Part 2
In this episode Paul Greenhalgh is joined by Sir Tristram Hunt for the 2nd part about the life and work of Josiah Wedgwood - creator of one of the most famous ceramic companies in British history.
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Hector Guimard - The Father of French Art Nouveau
In this episode we travel to France to meet the father of French Art Nouveau and the sweeping organic forms that came to define one of the most exciting eras in European culture. But this time we aren’t talking pots or figures – but tiles - the other major force in ceramic culture.
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Robert Arneson - Funk Art
Join Stephanie Rozene and guest Garth Johnson as they travel to the West Coast of the USA in the year 1967 when a show named Funk would change ceramics for ever.
1.04.20
Hector Guimard - The Father of French Art Nouveau
In this episode we travel to France to meet the father of French Art Nouveau and the sweeping organic forms that came to define one of the most exciting eras in European culture. But this time we aren’t talking pots or figures – but tiles - the other major force in ceramic culture.
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George E. Ohr - The Mad Potter
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44.43
The Terracotta Warriors
This week on The History of Ceramics, we uncover the extraordinary story of the Terracotta Warriors—thousands of life-sized clay soldiers created over 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang. From one of history's greatest archaeological discoveries to the remarkable craftsmanship behind this vast underground army, we explore how these silent guardians reveal the power, ambition, and artistic achievements of ancient China. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they discover why the Terracotta Warriors remain one of the greatest ceramic masterpieces ever created.
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50:43
Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 1
This week on The History of Ceramics, we explore the extraordinary life of Lucie Rie. Forced to flee Vienna in 1938, Rie rebuilt her life in London and became one of the most influential ceramic artists of the twentieth century. We trace her journey from refugee to pioneer, discovering how her elegant forms, innovative glazes, and uncompromising vision transformed modern studio pottery. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the remarkable story of Lucie Rie—and how one artist changed the history of ceramics.
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43.31
Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 2
"This week on The History of Ceramics, we tell the remarkable story of Hans Coper, who arrived in Britain as a refugee with no experience of pottery and became one of the defining ceramic artists of the twentieth century. We explore his creative partnership with Lucie Rie, the bold sculptural forms that made his work unique, and the lasting legacy he left on modern ceramics. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they discover how Hans Coper transformed clay into one of the great artistic languages of the modern age."
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