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Grecian Sphinx: MAR.C.8-1912

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Grecian Sphinx

Maker(s)

Factory: Wedgwood
Designer: Adam, Robert (After)

Entities

Categories

Description

Black basalt, moulded. The sphinx crouches on a rectangular pedestal, with its forepaws extended at the front, and its tail curled over its hind quarters. It wears a semi-circular headdress, a bodice, and a saddle blanket, which falls down onto the base. Underneath there is a large circular hole surrounded by four small holes, with a medium-sized hole to the right.

Notes

History note: Unknown before testator

Legal notes

C.B. Marlay Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 23 cm
Length: 31.8 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Etruria ⪼ Staffordshire ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley

Dating

Neoclassical
After 1800 CE - Before 1900 CE

Note

Wedgwood's sphinxes were modelled during the autumn of 1769 (see Wedgwood MS E.25 18289), and both the Egyptian and Grecian types were listed in the 1773 Wedgwood & Bentley Catalogue, the latter in two sizes, of which this is the larger size. They are also mentioned in the 1779 Wedgwood & Bentley Catalogue. See Documentation.

School or Style

Neoclassical

Materials used in production

Black basalt

Techniques used in production

Moulding : Black basalt, moulded

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: WEDGWOOD
  • Location: On the underside
  • Method of creation: Impressed
  • Type: Mark

Inscription present: in brown

  • Text: 461
  • Location: On the underside
  • Method of creation: Inscribed
  • Text: 16/
  • Location: On one long side of the pedestal
  • Method of creation: Inscribed

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: MAR.C.8-1912
Primary reference Number: 11167
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 18 December 2023 Last processed: Monday 18 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Grecian Sphinx" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/11167 Accessed: 2024-12-03 19:16:20

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/11167 |title=Grecian Sphinx |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-03 19:16:20|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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