2OO Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



Articles in daily use amongst the people, which are 

 before their eyes at every meal, may become the 

 vehicles of art education to all, and minister to their 

 highest culture. Before Wedgwood's time, the designs 

 which figured upon our stoneware and china were often 

 hideous. He determined to improve both designs and 

 ornamentation ; and Flaxman willingly and cheerfully 

 endeavoured to carry the manufacturer's views into 

 effect. The subjects of his art were principally small 

 groups in low relief, from ancient verse and history. 

 Some of them were equal in beauty and simplicity to 

 his finished designs for marble. 



Young Flaxman continued to ply his art diligently, 

 both as a draughtsman from his father's stock-in-trade, 

 as a student in the schools, and as an exhibitor at the 

 Eoyal Academy. One of the friends of the Matthew 

 family a Mr. Knight of Portland Place gave him a 

 commission to make a statue of Alexander the Great in 

 marble. Flaxman designed the figure in clay, and 

 Smith executed the work in marble. The statue was 

 exhibited, and met with considerable praise. 



But Flaxman could not make a regular livelihood by 

 accepting such commissions. He had to rely princi- 

 pally upon the income which he derived from Wedg- 

 wood. For many years we find him modelling classic 

 friezes, plaques, vases, ornamental vessels, and medallion 

 portraits of distinguished men, in various combinations 

 of Jasper and Basalt. In July 1*7 75, we find Wedg- 

 wood requesting Flaxman to model the portraits of Sir 



