John Flaxman
John Flaxman RA ( born July 6, 1755 in York, † December 7, 1826 in London) was a British sculptor.
Life and work
Flaxman was the son of plaster caster John Flaxman. The sculptor William Flaxman was his brother, the painter Mary Ann Flaxman his stepsister. Already in 1756 came Flaxman along with his family to London. There he was in his father's workshop, a first artistic instruction. In addition to the very short school days this was the whole basis of Flaxman's knowledge.
Through his talent, he fell upon the sculptor George Romney and the Reverend AS Mathew. Promoted by two, Flaxmann could already exhibit some figurines in 1767 at an exhibition of the Free Society of Arts. With 15 years of the Academy of Arts Flaxman wax model of Neptune was awarded a silver medal at an exhibition.
That same year, Flaxman was a member of the Academy, where he completed very quickly acquaintance with Thomas Stothard and William Blake. By his own admission he learned in that time the most. 1775 promoted him from Thomas Bentley for the company Wedgewood. Josiah Wedgewood dedicated Flaxman for its porcelain factory " Etruria ".
Featuring the designs of Flaxman and the economic boom of the company Wedgewood began. But the way he still found plenty of opportunities to engage in artistic; inter alia, he designed for different personalities tombs.
At 27, married in 1782 Ann Flaxman Denmann, the marriage remained childless. Five years later undertook Flaxman, equipped with a generous scholarship from the F. Wedgewood, a study trip to Rome. On this journey, accompanied by his wife. In Rome the sculptor made in 1793 as a commissioned work and more besides drawings to Homer's Iliad, by Tommaso Piroli (1752 or 1750-1824 ) in 1795 were engraved on copper. This was followed by drawings for Odyssey, engraved by William Blake. This classical outline drawings established his fame. They were influential for other artists (such as the classic illustrations by Moritz Retzsch to Goethe's Faust I).
In the summer of 1794 Flaxman returned with his wife from Rome and settled in London as a freelance artist settled. 1797 appointed him to the Academy for their assessors and three years later he became a full member also recorded. 1802 Flaxman went to Paris study 's sake. As a member of the Academy it though all doors were open; hindrance, however, had a sometimes rather intolerant attitude of religious matters.
The only praised the Flaxman in Paris, was a drawing by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. The students of the Academy had given him his picture Achill receive envoys of Agamemnon submitted for review. Back in London Flaxman worked for several years until he got in 1810 a professor of plastic offered on the London Academy. The Swiss painter Henry Fuseli testified explicitly the popularity of Flaxman's Lectures and seminars.
1796 Flaxman also engaged in poetry. For his wife he wrote poems, which he illustrated himself. But mostly, he worked as a sculptor. Addition to colleagues Louis Roubiliac, Sir Francis Chantrey or Westmacott Richard he was able to hold easily. For the painter George Romney, he made on his behalf many imprints of antiques.
With 71 years Flaxman died on 7 December 1826 in London.
Works
- The basket. 1797.
- The knight with the blazing cross., 1796.
- La commedia di Dante Alighieri divnia: cioè l' inferno, il il paradiso purgatorio ad. Vallardi, Milano 1819. ( Digitized )
- John Flaxman's illustrations of the Odyssey
- John Flaxman's illustrations to the Divine Comedy by Dante