Essay: Domestic Nostalgia
Nostalgia in the home is far from being a modern phenomenon.
In fact, it has been an integral part of consumer culture since the late 18th century.
One only has to look at some of Wedgwood’s original products, such as their reproduction Portland vase. This was sold as an exact replica of the real thing, and contemporary advertising claimed that Wedgwood had rediscovered the ancient techniques that went into making it.
This was a fallacy however, as it was actually manufactured using a technique that Wedgwood had discovered himself. The early period of the industrial revolution coincided with the first stirrings of major interest in antiquities, which would go some way to explaining Wedgwood’s choice of design.… Click here to continue reading this article