The History of Ceramics

HENI Talks
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The History of Ceramics brings together British art historian & curator Paul Greenhalgh and U.S. maker and academic Stephanie Rozene as they reveal the most compelling stories from this often-overlooked corner of art history.  From the very first shards that shed light on early civilizations, to stories of power, political intrigue and espionage.  Famous artists, extraordinary characters, pioneers and rebels from the world of pottery, architecture and design.  Full of revelation, insight and practical expertise, The History of Ceramics offers an alternative history to our times.

  1. 3d ago ·  Video

    Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 2

    This week we continue the story by following the extraordinary journey of Hans Coper, a man who arrived in Britain as a refugee with no experience of pottery, yet went on to become one of the greatest ceramic artists of the modern age. Forced to flee Nazi Germany as a teenager, Hans Coper rebuilt his life from scratch in wartime Britain. When he began working in Lucie Rie's studio, he discovered not only a new craft but an entirely new way of expressing himself. Although Rie taught him the fundamentals of working with clay, Coper soon developed a powerful artistic language all his own creating bold, sculptural vessels that blurred the boundaries between pottery and sculpture. In this episode, we explore Coper's remarkable transformation from refugee to internationally celebrated artist, the creative partnership and lifelong friendship he shared with Lucie Rie, and the innovations that changed the direction of modern ceramics forever. More than a story about beautiful objects, this is a story of resilience, identity, and the extraordinary power of art to reshape a life. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the life and work of Hans Coper and discover how a man who began with no training in ceramics became one of the defining voices of twentieth-century studio pottery. IMAGES FOR HANS COPER EPISODE: Lucie Rie, Bronzed bowls from the 1980s Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, A group of Cycladic forms, late- 1970s – early-1970s Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, Early composite form, c.1950 and Large jug, c.1953 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, Portrait of Lucie Rie, conceived c.1953 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, Ovoid pot c.1970, Small ovoid pot, c.1972 and Ovoid pot, c.1972 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Monumental Altar Candlesticks, Coventry Cathedral, by Hans Coper, Image courtesy of Julian Osley – CC BY-SA 2.0 ADDITIONAL WORKS: Bernard Leach, Thrown Bowl, 1973 Provided by York Museum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Bernard Leach Studio St Ives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Henry Moore, Three Way Piece No. 2 ( The Archer), 1964-65 On display in front of Toronto City Hall since 1966 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/sa/1.0/ Henry Moore, Large Reclining Figure 1982 (LH 192b), fibreglass. As of 2004 sited outside the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. On loan from the Henry Moore Foundation. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ Brâncuși's Paris studio, 1920,  Photograph by Edward Steichen, Public Domain Constantin Brancusi, The Kiss, 1907-08, Public Domain PHOTOGRAPHS: Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, 1950s Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Image Courtesy of the Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion (B&W) Mews, early 1950s Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, 1959-69 (in vehicle) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, Albion Mews, c.1956 Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, Albion Mews, c.1967 Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation ‘Lucie Rie / Hans Coper: Life at the Wheel’ will be at Offer Waterman in London from 18 September - 31 October 2026. For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Fraser Watson Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Hans Coper Arrives at Lucy Rie's Door 00:01:49 Hans Coper's Early Life: A Comfortable Beginning in Germany 00:03:04 The Nazi Rise: A Childhood Shattered 00:06:04 Escape from Germany: Hanging from a Moving Train 00:09:13 Internment and the Pioneer Corps: Survival in Canada and Britain 00:12:53 Gone with the Wind: The Day That Changed Everything 00:13:33 The Button Factory: A Hive of Refugee Activity 00:17:39 Learning the Potter's Wheel: A Natural Talent Emerges 00:22:11 The Relationship: Big Sister, Younger Brother 00:27:48 Two Different Visions: Potter vs. Sculptor 00:30:29 The Aesthetic: Delicate Bowls and Textured Monuments 00:34:47 Teaching Philosophies: Steel Fist vs. Graceful Integrity 00:38:43 Architectural Commissions: From Pots to Coventry Cathedral 00:41:28 Legacy: Changing the Direction of British Ceramics

    Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 2

  2. Jul 8 ·  Video

    Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 1

    This week on The History of Ceramics, we begin the remarkable story of two artists who transformed the course of modern ceramics. Our journey starts with the extraordinary life of Lucie Rie. Born into the rich cultural world of Vienna, Lucie Rie was already an accomplished ceramic artist when the rise of Nazism forced her to leave everything behind. Arriving in London as a refugee in 1938, she faced the daunting challenge of rebuilding her life and career in an unfamiliar country. Yet through determination, technical brilliance, and an unmistakable artistic vision, she would become one of the defining figures of twentieth-century ceramics. In this episode, we explore Rie's early life in Vienna, the artistic influences that shaped her distinctive style, and the resilience that carried her through exile and war. We discover how her elegant forms and luminous glazes challenged traditional ideas about pottery, and how her tiny London studio became the birthplace of a revolution in ceramic art. This is more than the story of a remarkable potter. It is a story of courage, reinvention, and creativity flourishing against the odds. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the life and work of Lucie Rie—and discover how one extraordinary artist helped redefine the possibilities of clay. Featured Images: Lucie Rie, Bronzed bowls from the 1980s,  Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, A group of Cycladic forms, late- 1970s – early-1970s Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation  Lucie Rie, Teapot Designed and Made for Ernst Plischke, 1928 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Early London period bowl, c.1945  Lucie Rie & Hans Coper, Early London period cylindrical lidded pot, c.1947  Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artists/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation  Lucie Rie, Vase from the 'Black Firing', 1981 and Composite vase, known as the 'God Pot', c.1980 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Vase with sgraffito design, c.1982 Footed bowl, c.1978 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Pink footed bowl, c.1980 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Bernard Leach, Thrown Bowl,, 1973 Provided by York Museum  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 Bernard Leach Studio St Ives  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ PHOTOGRAPHS: Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, 1950s Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Image Courtesy of the Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, early 1950s Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, 1959-69 (in vehicle) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1960 (at wheel) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation  Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1960 (at wheel with pot) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1967 (in studio) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation ‘Lucie Rie / Hans Coper: Life at the Wheel’ will be at Offer Waterman in London from 18 September - 31 October 2026.  For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks.    Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Jim Fuller & Fraser Watson Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Lucy Rie and Hans Coper - Titans of Studio Ceramics 00:03:31 Vienna's Golden Age: The Wiener Werkstätte and Gesamtkunstwerk 00:10:03 Lucy's Upbringing: An Intellectual Jewish Family in Vienna 00:17:18 World War I and Tragedy: The Loss of Her Brother 00:20:53 Discovery of Clay: Finding Her Medium at the Kunstgewerbeschule 00:29:23 Marriage and Early Success: Building a Career in 1920s Vienna 00:32:40 The 1937 Paris Expo: Career Triumph and Rising Darkness 00:36:07 Flight from Vienna: Escaping the Nazis in 1938 00:38:37 Starting Over in London: Albion Mews and the Button Business 00:48:28 A Knock on the Door: Hans Coper Arrives

    Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 1

  3. Jul 1 ·  Video

    The Terracotta Warriors

    In 1974, a group of farmers digging a well in rural China made one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history: an underground army of thousands of life-sized terracotta warriors, standing silently in battle formation for more than two thousand years. But why was this extraordinary army created? Who was the powerful ruler it was built to protect? And what does it reveal about the ambitions, beliefs, and astonishing technological achievements of ancient China? In this episode of The History of Ceramics, we explore the story behind the Terracotta Army and the remarkable reign of Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who unified China and transformed its future. We uncover the extraordinary craftsmanship behind the figures, the vast workforce that produced them, the secrets still buried beneath the emperor's mausoleum, and the ongoing archaeological discoveries that continue to reshape our understanding of one of the world's greatest ceramic masterpieces. From imperial power and military might to artistry, innovation, and the enduring legacy of clay, this is the story of how an army that was never meant to be seen became one of the greatest treasures of human civilisation. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the fascinating history behind the Terracotta Warriors—and discover why these silent guardians continue to captivate the world over two millennia after they were made. All artworks included in this episode are courtesy of: Creative Commons license Zero, Public Domain Dedication For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Joe Little Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Greatest Ceramic Project Ever 00:00:52 Discovery in 1974: Farmers Uncover a Lost Army 00:04:55 The Secret Keeper: Zhao Kangmin and the Cultural Revolution 00:08:11 Qin Shi Huang: The First Emperor of China 00:11:16 Fear of Death and the Quest for Immortality 00:13:09 Building an Army for the Afterlife 00:15:07 The Mausoleum Complex: The Size of Manhattan 00:22:41 Industrial Scale Ceramic Production 00:29:27 Individual Faces: Eight Types, Infinite Variations 00:34:38 Color and Paint: The Lost Vibrancy 00:39:43 The Emperor's Death and the Fall of Qin 00:42:04 Fire and Destruction: The Tomb Under Attack 00:43:39 Legacy: From Fear to Forever

    The Terracotta Warriors

  4. Jun 24 ·  Video

    George E. Ohr - The Mad Potter of Biloxi

    Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene travel to the American South at the end the 19th C to explore the life and work of George E. Ohr - otherwise known as the Mad Potter of Biloxi. Overlooked for much of his life this eccentric character worked tirelessly creating innovative, wild and exquisitely crafted art pottery. He was a renowned showman using slogans, banners and sales gimmicks to market his wares and was the self proclaimed "world's best art-potter". His life’s work remained undiscovered gathering dust in a garage for decades before an antiques dealer happened upon them in his son's auto shop. Today his legacy is firmly recognised as a founding father of the art pottery movement and there is a museum in his name, designed by Frank Gehry, in his hometown of Biloxi. Images of artworks and photographs in this episode: Pitcher, 1889-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Vase (Blue/Twist), 1987-1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Vase (Red), 1895-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Vase (pink/purple/pinched), 1897-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Photo of George E. Ohr – The Mad Potter of Biloxi (1857-1918) Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – outside studio with signage Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – studio with “Greatest Potter on Earth” signage Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – inside studio with pots George E. Ohr, The Mad Potter of Biloxi. Harpers Magazine, 1892-1893 Burnt Babies, 1894, George E. Ohr Burnt Babies, 1894, George E. Ohr Vase (Red), 1895-96, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Tea Pot, 1897-1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Pitcher (Brown/Gold/Pinched), 1896, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Photo of George E. Ohr (1895-1918) - workshop Bowl (Green/Gold), 1897-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Bowl (Pinched Clay), 1898-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Vase (Black/Blue), 1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Vase (Red/Brown), 1890-1905, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Pitcher (Green), 1890-1905, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMet Clockface and Vase (Pink), 1898, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET. (TBC) Photo of Ohr and O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi – architect Frank Gehry. For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Joe Little Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Mad Potter of Biloxi 00:04:20 Early Life and Civil War Era Biloxi 00:07:01 The Misfit: Education and Early Jobs 00:10:50 Discovery of Clay: The Duck Finds Water 00:12:04 Research Journey and Return to Biloxi 00:14:10 Building a Life: Marriage and Early Success 00:20:08 World's Fairs and the Great Biloxi Fire 00:26:26 The Golden Age: Reinvention and Masterworks 00:31:29 The Mad Potter Persona and World's Fair Recognition 00:38:51 Rejection and the End of Production 00:44:29 The 50-Year Wait and Miraculous Discovery 00:48:17 Legacy: From Forgotten to Greatest Potter on Earth

    George E. Ohr - The Mad Potter of Biloxi

  5. Jun 17 ·  Video

    Funk and Nut Art with Clayton Bailey

    Stephanie Rozene and curator Garth Johnson pick up the story of Funk Art and look at the life and work of artist Clayton Bailey who would go on to form the breakaway movement called Nut Art. Taking ceramics into a new realm of world making, eccentricity and humour, Bailey would inhabit an alter egos, stage pranks with the press and take the museum world on an unexpected journey. 00:00 Introduction: Clayton Bailey and the Nut Artists 00:52 Peter Volkos and the Abstract Expressionist Revolution 02:32 Harvey Littleton, Clayton Bailey, and the Wisconsin Connection 04:12 The First Funk Object: Caterpillar with Flying Buttresses 10:01 The Night Pots: Sex, Function, and Subversion 08:38 Make It Ugly: Building a Ceramics Program in Whitewater 13:24 Connecting with Robert Arneson and Moving to California 17:23 The Vermilion Festival and Experimental Education 23:59 Port Costa and the Birth of Nut Art 25:47 World Building and Imagination: The Nut Art Aesthetic 28:10 Dr. Gladstone and the Science of Kaolism 31:54 The Bigfoot Discovery and Media Pranks 32:38 The Wonders of the World Museum 35:36 Performance Art and Compression Testing 37:52 Partner in Mischief: A Personal Relationship 44:06 Legacy: The Greatest Conceptual Ceramic Artist

    Funk and Nut Art with Clayton Bailey

  6. Jun 10 ·  Video

    Robert Arneson - Funk Art

    Join Stephanie Rozene and guest Garth Johnson as they travel back to 1967 and the West Coast of America where an exhibition named Funk would showcase ceramics as a provocative art form. Using humour, satire, colour and form these Funk artists critiqued the world around them and changed ceramics forever. No longer utilitarian vessels - this was art that shocked. Artwork in this episode: Banded White Bottle, 1958, Robert Arneson Spouted Footed Vase, 1959, Robert Arneson No Deposit, No Return, 1961, Robert Arneson Jack and John Trophy, 1964, Robert Arneson His and Her’s, 1964 , Robert Arneson John with Art, 1964, Robert Arneson Typewriter #1 (Touch System) 1965, Robert Arneson Self Portrait of the Artists Losing His Marbles, 1965, Robert Arneson Alice House Wall, 1967, Robert Arnson Assassination of a Famous Nut Artist, 1971, Robert Arneson Portrait of George, 1981, Robert Arneson Other Images: Relax in Electric Chair (Dirty Guy),” 1965, Peter Saul Rocking Pot, 1956, Peter Voulkos, Hole in One, 1978, Peter Voulkos, Bottle, circa 1955. Antonio Prieto Fur Rat, 1962, Joan Brown Cakes, 1963, Wayne Thiebaud For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Fraser Watson Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

    Robert Arneson - Funk Art

  7. Jun 3 ·  Video

    Hector Guimard - The Father of French Art Nouveau

    How Art Nouveau transformed Parisian Architecture. In this episode we travel to France to meet Hector Guimard the father of French Art Nouveau and the sweeping organic forms that came to define one of the most exciting eras in European culture. We’ll be exploring how ceramic tiles became a key element in the architecture at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and we venture underground, down into the Paris Metro where to this day tiles continue to reign supreme. Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include: Hector Guimard, 1867–1942 Café-Restaurant Au Grand Neptune, 1888, Hector Guimard Tassel House, Brussels, 1892—93, Victor Horta Photo: kat_hly.1608 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Illustrations to Salome by Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley The Art Nouveau Bing Pavilion, Paris Exposition, 1900, Siegfried Bing Courtesy of V&A Museum Castel Béranger, 1895—98, Hector Guimard Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 1.0) Alexandre Bigot, 1862—1927 Photo: Absecon 59 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Inside Castel Béranger, 1895—98, Hector Guimard 29 Avenue Rapp, Paris, 1899—1901 Photo: marsupilami92 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Photo: Pline / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Maison Coilliot, 1898—1900 Illustrations to Salome by Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley Porte Dauphine Metro Station, Paris, 1900 Photo :Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Abbesses Metro Station, Paris, 1913 Hector Guimard — Andrzej O / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Porte Dauphine Metro Station, Paris, 1900 For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Alessandro Ruocco Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Hector Guimard and French Art Nouveau 00:25 Tile as Architecture: The Third Component of Ceramics 03:57 Guimard's Early Life and Training in the Decorative Arts 08:34 The 1889 Paris World's Fair and New Technologies 10:38 Travels to London and Brussels: Discovering Art Nouveau 12:54 Defining Art Nouveau: Curvilinear Lines and Organic Forms 18:06 Art Nouveau as the First Modernism 19:48 Castel Béranger: Guimard's First Major Building 22:03 The Golden Age of Tile: Technology and Innovation 29:43 Alexandre Bigot: The Chemistry Teacher Turned Ceramic Artist 36:17 Maison Coilliot: Ceramic Architecture in Lille 43:51 The Paris Metro Commission: Art for the People 46:55 Designing the Metro Stations: Cast Iron and Subway Tile 52:38 Controversy and Politics: Art Nouveau Under Fire 55:20 The Decline of Art Nouveau and Rise of Nationalism 1:00:23 Guimard's Later Years and Legacy

    Hector Guimard - The Father of French Art Nouveau

  8. May 27 ·  Video

    Josiah Wedgwood - Part 2 - Turning Pottery into Politics

    How did Wedgwood combine pottery with politics? Paul Greenhalgh is joined by Sir Tristram Hunt to discuss the life and work of potter and abolitionist Josiah Wedgwood who created one of the most famous ceramic companies in British history. Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include: Dinner Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773–1774, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Portland Vase, 1790, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Vase (Creamware), 1764–68, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum The Founding of Australia. By Capt. Arthur Phillip R.N., Sydney Cove, Jan. 26th 1788 Algernon Talmage Medallion, 1790–95, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Vase (Black Basalt), 1775–80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Milk Jug, 1785—95, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Saucer, 1795—1810 , Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Portrait Medallion, 1775–80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Vase, Circa 1800—10, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Dancing Hours Plaque, 1778, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons and John Flaxman Courtesy of V&A Museum Dancing Hours Salt Cellar, 1786—90, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons and John Flaxman Courtesy of V&A Museum Vase, Circa 1800—10, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Teapot and cover (Black Basalt), 1810, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Bust (Black Basalt), 1770–80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Teapot (Caneware), 18th Century, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Edward Gibbon, 1737–94 Portland Vase, Circa 1–25 AD Portland Vase, 1790, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum Josiah Wedgwood statue, Stoke-on-Trent, 1862–3, Edward Davis Anti-slavery medallion, Circa 1787, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Courtesy of V&A Museum For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Alessandro Ruocco Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Josiah Wedgwood - Turning Pottery into Politics 00:01:32 The London Shop and Marketing Genius 00:04:26 Art Meets Commerce: Wedgwood's Philosophy 00:06:12 Global Ambition: 80% Export Market 00:11:29 Countering Porcelain: Creamware vs European Tradition 00:13:09 Black Basalt and the Innovation of Jasperware 00:15:40 John Flaxman and Ceramics as High Art 00:20:03 The Portland Vase: Artistic Triumph and Commercial Challenge 00:22:03 Free Trade and Empire: A Businessman's Contradictions 00:24:34 Radical Patriotism: Politics and Revolution 00:29:24 The Abolition Badge: Pottery Against Slavery 00:35:37 Legacy and Decline: After Josiah's Death in 1795 00:40:27 The Wedgwood Brand: Surviving 200 Years of Mismanagement 00:43:16 Conclusion: Wedgwood's Enduring Importance to Ceramic History

    Josiah Wedgwood - Part 2 - Turning Pottery into Politics
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About

The History of Ceramics brings together British art historian & curator Paul Greenhalgh and U.S. maker and academic Stephanie Rozene as they reveal the most compelling stories from this often-overlooked corner of art history.  From the very first shards that shed light on early civilizations, to stories of power, political intrigue and espionage.  Famous artists, extraordinary characters, pioneers and rebels from the world of pottery, architecture and design.  Full of revelation, insight and practical expertise, The History of Ceramics offers an alternative history to our times.

Information

  • Creator
    HENI Talks
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © HENI 2026

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