History of Jasper
Jasper - perhaps the name which is most synonymous with Wedgwood. The triumphant outcome of several thousand experiments undertaken by Josiah I between 1770 and 1774. Jasper is probably the most important ceramic innovation since the development of Chinese porcelain some 1000 years ago.
The long search for perfection of an entirely new and innovative ceramic body arose from the need for Wedgwood to compete in the rapidly expanding market for imitations of Graeco-Roman bas reliefs and intaglios. The neo-classical movement was gaining ground, and Wedgwood needed to respond quickly - in January 1771 he wrote to his Ornamental Ware partner, Thomas Bentley - 'I am makeing new experim.ts with several difft. objects in view......To make a white body, succeptible of being colour'd & which shall polish itself in burning Bisket.'
A recipe was not quickly found, and some three and a half years later Josiah, in his own words was a man in - '...the midst of a course of experiments', adding at the end of his letter - 'Farewell - I am almost crazy.'
By 7th March 1774 Wedgwood mentioned a 'white body' - and by September 3rd of the same year he felt confident enough to declare - 'I believe I shall make an excellent white body, & with absolute certainty...'. On New Year's Day 1775 - an auspicious occasion in any event - Wedgwood expressed his personal satisfaction - 'The blue body I am likewise absolute in of almost any shade, & have likewise a beautifull Sea Green & several other colors...'. Obviously Jasper was in limited production by early 1775, but Wedgwood continued to experiment for some time after as problems with warping and blistering were being experienced with the cameos and gems being produced at that time.
Small 'gems' gradually gave way to larger architectural plaques which were produced in several colours to complement the neo-classically inspired architectural interiors of the time. After Bentley's death in November 1780 Wedgwood turned his attention to the production of three dimensional objects, and by 1782/3 the first Jasper vase ornaments began to appear. By 1786 Josiah had evolved the 'Homeric' vase. This classically inspired piece featured the bas relief known as 'The Apotheosis of Homer' which had originally been modelled in 1778 by John Flaxman jnr (1755-1826). The design for the relief had been adapted from an antique 'bell-krater' vase in the collection of Sir William Hamilton.
The vase form was modelled, again by Flaxman, in 1786, and the cover featured the winged horse, 'Pegasus' as the finial. So delighted was Wedgwood with this magnificent Jasper creation that he declared the vase at the time to be - 'the finest and most perfect I have ever made'. A copy of the vase was presented by him to the British Museum.
Many today however consider the epitome of Wedgwood's career to be his production, in Jasper, of the celebrated Barberini also known as Portland Vase. The celebrated cameo-glass original is now housed in the British Museum, London, and in Wedgwood's day was perhaps the most admired artefact from the ancient world. For three and a half years Wedgwood and his chief artists and modellers laboured long and hard to perfect the first copy in Jasper of this work of art. By September 1789 their efforts were rewarded . Even the notable President of the Royal Academy, Sir Joshua Reynolds inspected the finished work and gave his seal of approval declaring the Wedgwood copy in Jasper to be - '...a correct and faithfull imitation, both in regard to the general effect, and the most minute details of the parts.' (15th June 1790).
Today the enigmatic form of the Portland Vase has been chosen as the new company 'icon', a fitting tribute to the continuing success of the unique Jasper body evolved over nearly 230 years ago.
