xvn Wedgwood and Flaxman 203 



ning. She had a taste for art and literature, under- 

 stood French and Italian, and had acquired some 

 knowledge of Greek. She was, nevertheless, a good 

 domestic manager. She arranged her husband's draw- 

 ings, and encouraged and cheered him in his occasional 

 moments of despondency. 



Some time after their marriage, Sir Joshua Keynolds 

 happened to meet Flaxman in the street. " Ha ! " said 

 the President, " I have heard you have married." " It 

 is true," replied Flaxman. " Then," said Sir Joshua, " I 

 tell you, you are ruined for an artist. You cannot now 

 go to Borne and study the works of the great sculptors 

 of antiquity." " I am sorry for that," said Flaxman, 

 who returned home somewhat dispirited. He sat down 

 beside his wife, took her hand, and said with a smile, 

 " Ann, you have ruined me for an artist." " How is 

 that ? " she asked. " It happened," replied Flaxman, 

 " in the church, and Ann Denham has done it. I met 

 Sir Joshua Reynolds just now, and he said my marriage 

 had ruined me in my profession." 



It is possible that Sir Joshua bore a grudge against 

 Flaxman, for what reason is not known. He had 

 adjudged the gold medal for sculpture to Engleheart, 

 when every other artist thought that it should have been 

 awarded to Flaxman. Sir Joshua was the first portrait 

 painter of his day, but he knew comparatively little 

 about sculpture. Hence his spiteful remark to Flax- 

 man, that he had ruined himself as an artist by marry- 

 ing Ann Denham. His wife, as usual, consoled him. 



