Saturday, February 27, 2021

PORTLAND VASE III

 

Portland Vase
Engraving by William Blake
 
William Blake had the good fortune to become involved in engraving images of the Portland Vase to appear in Erasmus Darwin's book The Botanic Garden. Joseph Johnson was the publisher for whom Blake did numerous engravings after he completed his apprenticeship. A Unitarian, Johnson like Blake "had a Dissenter's sympathies with liberal and political causes." The industrialist Josiah Wedgwood and the scientist Erasmus Darwin took a profound interest in the first century Roman Cameo glass Vase. Wedgwood was interested in the craftsmanship of the vase which he hoped to copy in his china manufacturing factory. Darwin, like many others wished to determine what the figures on the vase represented. The beauty of the vase as a work of art and Darwin's interpretation of the images as representing the Eleusinian Mysteries would have fascinated Blake.

In 1779 the vase had recently been brought to England and acquired by Duke of Portland. Josiah Wedgwood had the use of the vase for study and copying. Through Johnson, Blake was engaged to engrave four images for publication in Darwin's book. In Johnson's close circle of associates was a group of like-minded men. They were liberal, dissenters, and innovators who applied their talents to understanding the methods and meaning of the enigmatic piece of ancient glassware which was suddenly available for appreciation and study in England.
 
This diverse group of men were drawn together to explore the secrets of the vase:
Joseph Johnson - Publisher
Henry Fuselli - Artist
John Flaxman - Sculptor
Josiah Wedgwood - Industrialist
Erasmus Darwin - Scientist - Author
William Blake - Poet - Engraver.
 
 

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