Wedgwood looks to the British obsession with Japanism for the design of this majolica, "Ar...

Wedgwood looks to the British obsession with Japanism for the design of this majolica, "Argenta" ware jug. Alternating vertical panels with white and colored grounds create a striped effect around the tapering cylinder shape. One panel consists of a potted plant executed in greenish taupe with soft rose-colored berries. The alternate panel is a combination of Japanesque ground patterns in a cool blue, chocolate brown and greenish amber.

According to Maureen Batkin, Wedgwood Ceramics, 1846-1959, Wedgwood majolica can be divide...

According to Maureen Batkin, Wedgwood Ceramics, 1846-1959, Wedgwood majolica can be divided into six different categories. The white ground wares, all of which share a similar color palette, are referred to as "Argenta." This sub group was brought out following the Paris exhibition of 1879 where Wedgwood noted a shift in public taste away from traditional majolica.