{"product_id":"antique-18thc-wedgwood-jasper-portrait-medallion-william-herschel-flaxman-1783","title":"Antique 18thC Wedgwood Jasper Portrait Medallion William Herschel Flaxman 1783","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn 18th-century Wedgwood solid pale blue jasper oval portrait medallion of the astronomer \u003cstrong\u003eSir William Herschel\u003c\/strong\u003e, the white jasper bust in high relief, titled \u003cstrong\u003eDR. W. HERSCHEL 1783\u003c\/strong\u003e on the front below the truncation and signed \u003cstrong\u003eFLAXMAN\u003c\/strong\u003e on the figure. Impressed WEDGWOOD to the reverse. Length approximately \u003cstrong\u003e13.5cm\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJosiah Wedgwood began his series of jasper portrait medallions of \"Illustrious Moderns\" in the 1770s — statesmen, scientists, philosophers, soldiers and royalty, modelled in white jasper relief and applied to a coloured jasper ground. They were sold to be hung in frames or kept in cabinets and are among the most collected of all Wedgwood productions. This is a genuine eighteenth-century example, not one of the later reissues: the character of the solid jasper, the crispness of the relief and the form of the impressed marks are all of the first period, and it comes from a collection formed by a specialist in the field.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the important pieces of the series: the portrait was modelled by \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Flaxman\u003c\/strong\u003e in 1783, two years after Herschel's discovery of Uranus had made him the most celebrated scientist in Europe, and Flaxman-signed medallions are considerably scarcer than the run of unsigned subjects. The relief is exceptionally crisp, with the hair, cravat and coat buttons all sharply defined.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Please see images for condition — the photographs form part of the description and show the front, the relief in raking light, the reverse and any faults. A fine example with no chips, cracks or restoration noted; the jasper ground with light surface wear to the reverse commensurate with age.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the same private collection: each medallion carries a numbered \"Lewis Collection\" label to the reverse, and the group has clearly been assembled by a knowledgeable collector over many years. I am listing the medallions individually.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease note:\u003c\/strong\u003e there are other Wedgwood portrait medallions of the same style and period from this collection for sale in my shop — see my other listings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCarefully packed and dispatched from the UK. International buyers welcome — postage is calculated by the rate table at checkout. Please ask if you would like further photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wedgwood","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54578076713244,"sku":"0915-01","price":850.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/4630\/0188\/files\/57_ec39e74e-a566-4101-83d5-9272caa133f9.jpg?v=1789715153","url":"https:\/\/moffitts.co.uk\/products\/antique-18thc-wedgwood-jasper-portrait-medallion-william-herschel-flaxman-1783","provider":"Moffitts Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}