This bust is almost certainly a self-portrait by the great Staffordshire potter Enoch Wood (1759-1840), at the age of 62. Other versions exist elsewhere, including one at the British Museum, but this one is unusual in that it seems to have its original colour. The reverse is inscribed in Enoch Wood's own hand: 'The Bust of Enoch Wood of Burslem aged 62 AD 1821'.
The liquid clay, or slip, was poured into a plaster mould, which absorbed the excess water. The solidified slip shrank away from the mould, and was removed for drying. The clay was then fired, after which the surface was painted. This fine portrait represents the most ambitious example of an 18th-century ceramicist ‘elevating’ himself to the role of a sculptor, and is a perfect example of a work of art straddling both ceramics and sculpture.
Object details
| Object type | Bust |
| Materials and techniques | Cast terracotta, painted. TerracottaCastCast |
| Brief description | Painted terracotta bust of Enoch Wood, probably a self-portrait. Dated 1821. |
| Physical description | Painted terracotta bust of Enoch Wood at the age of 62. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | Simon Wedgwood relayed the following information in an email sent to Antonia Boström in September 2017: “That is a very fine bust Indeed. They were related to us, and their descendants lived at Henley Hall, just outside Ludlow which estate was sold up a few years ago, or at least the house was, which was tragic as its owners by inheritance did not understand what a time capsule they had on their hands. It was / is a lovely sporting estate. It had been owned by the Wood / Wedgwood Wood family by inheritance until the 1960’s when the then childless owner left it to his step-son, whose widow fell out with her son, and as a consequence sold the house in spite! The Woods also owned a house called Wirksworth Hall in Derbyshire which they sold in the early C20th owing to mining subsidence, (a typical example of the wealth having been extracted biting back!) and they moved the gates from Wirksworth, by Robert Bakewell, to Henley. The two portraits in the hall at Abdon, which I pointed out in passing to you, came from Henley, Mary (Baddeley) Wood having inherited both the large Wedgwood fortune as well as the Wood fortune) and the large portrait of children on the upstairs landing. There are also three in Spitalfields. The Wedgwood Woods, though not direct male Wedgwood descendants, have a triple descent. Sarah Wedgwood (JW’s wife) was more closely related. Sarah’s uncles (John and Thomas Wedgwood) were going to leave their very substantial fortune (Coal and potting) to one of Josiah I’s grandsons who fought at Hougomont / Waterloo in the Scots Guards but in the final event it was left to their niece, Mary Baddeley , who married a Wood, and the name varied over the next 75 years or so sometimes including Wedgwood, from Wedgwood Wood, WedgWood, Price Wood and other variables.' |
| Marks and inscriptions | The Bust of Enoch Wood of Burslem aged 62 AD 1821 (Written in Enoch Wood's hand.) |
| Gallery label | Bust of Enoch WoodProbably by Enoch Wood (1759-1840)Painted terracottaDated 1821This bust is almost certainly a self-portrait by the great Staffordshire potter Enoch Wood, at the age of 62. Other versions exist elsewhere, but this one is unusual in that it seems to have its original colour. The liquid clay, or slip, was poured into a plaster mould, which absorbed the excess water. The solidified slip shrank away from the mould, and was removed for drying. The clay was then fired, after which the surface was painted.A.4-2017Purchased with the assistance of the Hildburgh and Murray Bequests(24/08/2017) |
| Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of the Hildburgh Bequest and the Murray Bequest |
| Object history | This object has not been marked, and will need to be when next taken off display. |
| Place depicted | Burslem |
| Summary | This bust is almost certainly a self-portrait by the great Staffordshire potter Enoch Wood (1759-1840), at the age of 62. Other versions exist elsewhere, including one at the British Museum, but this one is unusual in that it seems to have its original colour. The reverse is inscribed in Enoch Wood's own hand: 'The Bust of Enoch Wood of Burslem aged 62 AD 1821'. The liquid clay, or slip, was poured into a plaster mould, which absorbed the excess water. The solidified slip shrank away from the mould, and was removed for drying. The clay was then fired, after which the surface was painted. This fine portrait represents the most ambitious example of an 18th-century ceramicist ‘elevating’ himself to the role of a sculptor, and is a perfect example of a work of art straddling both ceramics and sculpture. |
| Collection | Sculpture Collection |
| Accession number | A.4-2017 |
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| Record created | July 14, 2017 |
| Record URL |
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