Wedgwood Blue Jasper Medallion of Linnaeus
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Item Details
- Width:
4 3/4 Inches - Height:
4 1/8 Inches - Period:
18th Century - Origin:
England/Ireland
An exquisite Wedgwood blue jasper framed cameo medallion depicting the renowned Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. This medallion is part of what is considered to be the largest and most uniquely interesting series of historical portraits ever undertaken in any medium. Wedgwood was so highly regarded by his contemporaries that kings, princes, and collectors from all over Europe allowed him to study and take molds from their collections. Subjects ranged from the classical Greek and Roman to portraits of philosophers, poets, and heroes.
Mounted to use as ornament, the Wedgwood medallion cameos, known as "Applied Wedgwood," were used as decoration for furniture and were framed for wall ornament or architectural treatment. The famous Amethyst Room, designed for Empress Catherine the Great, and Thomas Jefferson's dining room at Monticello both had Wedgwood cameos set in walls. Embodying classical beauty and simplicity, these jasper medallions are among Wedgwood's most sought-after wares.
Circa 1780
4 3/4" wide x 4 1/8" long
Carl Linnaeus, also known as Carl von Linné, is often called the Father of Taxonomy and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology. His system for naming, ranking, and classifying organisms is still in wide use today and his ideas on classification have influenced generations of biologists. Besides being the most renowned botanist of his time, Linnaeus was also known for his fine linguistic skills. The French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau sent him the message: "I know no greater man on earth." The German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote: "With the exception of Shakespeare and Spinoza, I know no one among the no longer living who has influenced me more strongly." Swedish author August Strindberg wrote: "Linnaeus was in reality a poet who happened to become a naturalist."
Reference :
Cameos Old and New, 1991, Anna Miller
Mounted to use as ornament, the Wedgwood medallion cameos, known as "Applied Wedgwood," were used as decoration for furniture and were framed for wall ornament or architectural treatment. The famous Amethyst Room, designed for Empress Catherine the Great, and Thomas Jefferson's dining room at Monticello both had Wedgwood cameos set in walls. Embodying classical beauty and simplicity, these jasper medallions are among Wedgwood's most sought-after wares.
Circa 1780
4 3/4" wide x 4 1/8" long
Carl Linnaeus, also known as Carl von Linné, is often called the Father of Taxonomy and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology. His system for naming, ranking, and classifying organisms is still in wide use today and his ideas on classification have influenced generations of biologists. Besides being the most renowned botanist of his time, Linnaeus was also known for his fine linguistic skills. The French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau sent him the message: "I know no greater man on earth." The German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote: "With the exception of Shakespeare and Spinoza, I know no one among the no longer living who has influenced me more strongly." Swedish author August Strindberg wrote: "Linnaeus was in reality a poet who happened to become a naturalist."
Reference :
Cameos Old and New, 1991, Anna Miller
