Full title: Joseph Banks [ca. 1775-1779 / a Wedgwood and Bentley portrait medallion, from a model by John Flaxman Jnr.]

Author/creator: Bentley, Thomas, 1731-1780, Wedgwood, Josiah, 1730-1795, Flaxman, John, 1755-1826.

Date: ca. 1775-1779.

Call Numbers: DL Pa 98

Record Identifier: 1LjRVqy9

Language:

Formats: Pictures, Objects

Contents: 1 portrait medallion - thumb scoop on reverse. At the centre top at back is oblong hole for hanging.; 16 x 13.8 cm frame at widest point ; 9.6 x 7.5 cm. (image). - Black basalt ware, stored in oval shaped gilt wooden frame

Publishers:

Notes: Based on a portrait of Sir Joseph Banks that was modelled by John Flaxman between 1775-1779, it is difficult to assign a specific date to the medallion as several issues were made over a period of time. The piece bears no mark of "Wedgwood & Bentley". According to Meteyard (1875, p.62) some pieces have no marks at all, not even the name "Wedgwood". The explanation being that such were first or trial pieces of a new body etc. that were being made or, the workmen under pressure of work orders, simply forgot to put the mark. Date and attribution based on references in W.G. Constable, "John Flaxman 1755-1826", London, 1927, p. 15. SRL DS735/21. "Notes and records of the Royal Society of London", Vol. 18, no. 1, p. 49. SRL N506/160. "Wedgwood and his works... ", Eliza Meteyard, London, 1873, p. 57. SRL DSQ666.342/22. "The Wedgwood handbook ... ", Eliza Meteyard, London, 1875, p. 190. SRL DS666.342/14. John Flaxman worked for Josiah Wedgwood between 1775 and 1787, and Wedgwood was in partnership with Thomas Bentley from 1769 to Bentley's death in 1780. The medallion is similar to portraits of Joseph Banks held in the Mitchell Library (P*33 black basalt ware; P*61 and P*35) and those located in the Dixson Library (DL Pa 97, DL Pa 99 and DL Pa 100). Digital order no:a5142001

Permalink: https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/1LjRVqy9

MMS ID: 110332258