Meanwhile, the discovery of ancient Greek vases at Herculaneum and Pompeii in 1738 and 1748 introduced a new repertoire of shapes, replacing the earlier standard Chinese forms of jars and beakers. The shapes of vases and urns became more inventive and the ground colours became richer. At Upton House in West Sussex, an elegant set of three vases made at the royal manufactory at Sèvres are unified by a vibrant ‘bleu celeste’ (heavenly blue) ground colour, accented with fine gold details. The panels are painted with different scenes on each side, with the rear intended to be reflected in a mirror placed over the mantelpiece.
Vase madness
The publication of a catalogue of Sir William Hamilton’s collection of Greek vases between 1766 and 1767 offered Josiah Wedgwood and Thomas Bentley a seemingly infinite source for vase designs. In 1769, Wedgwood, the self-proclaimed 'Vase-maker General to the Universe' tapped into the public's insatiable appetite for vases, which he described as a 'violent Vase Madness'.
Wedgwood’s black stoneware, known as ‘black basalt’ was ideal for recreating the style of Greek vase painting that flourished from the late 6th to the late 4th century BC. Hundreds of vase shapes were produced, from which customers could assemble their own garnitures.