"Sacred to Neptune" Water Ewer

Designer John Flaxman Sr. (English, 1726 - 1795)

Manufacturer Wedgwood Factory (English, founded 1759)

Dateca. 1840; designed ca. 1775

MediumStoneware with metallic oxide stain (basalt ware)

DimensionsOverall: 15 × 7 1/2 × 7 1/2 inches (38.1 × 19.05 × 19.05 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Donna J. Meyer

Object number2005.12.2

MarkingsBottom, lower left corner: "Wedgwood" On lower right corner: "G"

On View

Not on view

Collections

Architecture, Design and Decorative Arts

Terms

DescriptionThe black basalt ceramic ware depicts a figure of a triton (half man, half fish) with scaled fish tails for legs, seated on the collar of the ewer. The triton's curled "legs" and arms are wrapped around the spout of the ewer. The back of the ewer's spout divides into two ribbons that encircle the head of Neptune, and then rejoin into one flat ribbon to form the wavy, looped handle of the ewer. In his hands, the triton holds two appendages that emanate from the back of the dolphin's head that rests on the collar of the ewer and continues down the side of the ewer underneath the spout. At approximately the midpoint of the dolphin's head, two garlands, composed of foliage with elongated, aquatic leaves emerge and sweep down the sides of the ewer in a semi-circular line, ending at the base of the ewer's handle. The circumference of the lower third of the ewer's body is decorated with an oranmental border and pointed-tip leaves that taper down to the ewer's flared base, which is decorated with gadroons and a foliate border. The bottom of the square plinth is impressed "Wedgwood" and "G", denoting the ewer is for water.

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