Design for large fireplace white tiles produced in Wedgwood's factory
19th century
Medium
Pen and black ink over graphite
Dimensions
mount: 11 7/16 x 8 1/4 in. (29 x 21 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Randolph Gunter, 1961
Accession Number
61.570.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
John Flaxman's *Design for Large Fireplace White Tiles Produced in Wedg's Factory* is a captivating preparatory drawing from the 19th century, showcasing the artist's pivotal role in bridging fine art and industrial design. Created in pen and black ink over graphite a modest mount measuring 11 7/16 x 8 1/4 inches, this work exemplifies Flaxman's neoclassical style characterized by elegant lines and classical motifs. Likely featuring graceful female figures—hinted at by its tags—this design was intended for Wedgwood's renowned white tiles, transforming everyday fireplaces into artistic statemen...
About the Artist
John Flaxman · 1755–1826
John Flaxman (1755–1826) was born in York, England, the son of John Flaxman Sr., a moulder and seller of plaster casts who ran a studio in London's Covent Garden. Largely self-taught amid his father's stock of classical casts, with minimal formal schooling due to childhood illness, Flaxman displayed prodigious talent early on. At age 12, he won a Society of Arts prize for a medallion; by 15, anoth...