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The Apotheosis of Homer vase - 1786
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The Apotheosis of Homer vase
© Wedgwood Museum
Josiah thought highly enough of this vase form to offer it in 1786 to the British Museum, who accepted despite their general policy then of not accepting objects of contemporary manufacture.
The subject matter of the Apotheosis of Homer vase was a copy of an ancient vase, which had been sold to the British Museum by Sir William Hamilton. The piece had been illustrated by Pierre d’Hancarville in his catalogue of Sir William’s renowned collection of antiquities. Wedgwood had been given access to the unpublished drawings from which to copy a number of classical designs. The first reference to this relief subject occurs in August 1778 when it was suggested as the topic for a jasper tablet. One of the first plaques was sent to Sir William who was delighted with the piece, declaring it to be ‘far superior’ to his expectations. The relief modelling is always attributed to the work of John Flaxman, who was considered to be one of the finest modellers in the neo-classical style. The design was used on a large jasper vase – which lead to its alternative name ‘The Pegasus Vase’, from the figure of the winged horse of the gods that forms the finial to the lid. The first of these vases were produced in February 1786. In May Josiah presented a copy to the British Museum, stating that it was ‘the finest and most perfect I have made’. That presentation vase still remains in the British Museum’s collection today.
- Type of object: Ornamental ware/vase
- Mark: WEDGWOOD [Impressed]
- Year first produced: 1786
- Body: Jasper
- Material: Ceramic
- Decoration: Ornamented, dipped
- Accession number: 1263
- Dimensions: 450 mm (height), 270 mm (diameter)
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Related people
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John Flaxman Jnr RA
Modeller
John Flaxman Jnr RA - Modeller
English sculptor, and designer, born in York, the son of a modeller and maker of plaster casts. The family moved to Covent Garden, London in 1756. In 1766 at the age of 11 Flaxman Jnr won a premium from the Society of Arts, now the Royal Society of Arts, enrolling three years later as one of the first students of the newly founded Royal Academy Schools. He exhibited for the first time at the Academy in 1770, and had come to the attention of the founder of the Wedgwood company, Josiah I himself, in 1771. By 1775 Flaxman Jnr had commenced to provide models and designs to the Wedgwood factory. Flaxman at Wedgwood’s behest went to Rome in 1787, where he remained, studying classical architecture and arts until 1794. During this period Flaxman supplied many important designs to Wedgwood. Amongst these can be numbered the famous ‘Apotheosis of Homer’ relief and vase; ‘Hercules in the Garden of Hesperides’; various bust subjects including Mercury, as well as the Josiah Wedgwood memorial in St Peter ad Vincula, Stoke-on-Trent’s parish church. Flaxman also supplied a huge range of portrait medallions and smaller sized bas reliefs for use by the firm.
