Wedgwood Black Basalt Sculpture of Hercules

Pair of Wedgwood Elegant Black Basalt Lion Bookends or Paperweights Sculptures, with impressed marks to base. From a private collection Free international shipping.

Wedgwood Antique Black Basalt Cat Sculpture by Ernest Light (1880-1974), with impressed marks to base, designed circa 1915. Ernest Light (1880-19...

Wedgwood Black Basalt Jasperware American President Abraham Lincoln Bust From a private collection Free international shipping

Wedgwood Black Basalt Jasperware American President John F. Kennedy Bust From a private collection Free international shipping

An important homage to love, this large black basalt figure is an impressive example of Wedgwood's artistry and imagination. Cupid, the ancient Roman god of love, is standing amongst billowing clouds with a pair of doves at his feet. Gazing towards earth with one hand shielding his eyes, the other hand holds an arrow. His bow and quiver rest at his side, ready to take aim. "CUPID" is etched into the base. Considered a crowning achievement of Wedgwood, black basalt was created by blending manganese with an iron-oxide rich slurry procured from coal mines called carr. In addition to the impressive color, this combination also provided additional strength and solidity. While it initially proved challenging to fire because of its weight, that same characteristic was advantageous in creating ornaments, lending stability to library...

One of history’s greatest thinkers, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, is the subject of this black basalt figure by Wedgwood. The individual features and personality of the celebrated philosoph...

In this expertly rendered black basalt bust, Mercury, the fleet-footed Roman god of commerce, communication and transport, is depicted in a winged h...

Exceptionally rare early figure of Bacchus in black basalt. The mixed-case mark places this figure between 1780 and 1785. He is portrayed in typical style, his head garlanded with grapes and with a wine cup to his lips. Bacchus, also known as Dionysus in Greek mythology, is the enigmatic god of wine, fertility, and ritual madness. He symbolizes freedom, ecstasy, and the blurring of societal norms through his rituals and festivities. Bacchus is often depicted in myths as a deity who challenges the status quo, promoting an atmosphere where conventional rules do not apply, and his followers are liberated from their everyday constraints. Born from Zeus and the mortal Semele, Bacchus is unique among gods, bridging the divide between the divine and the human. His followers included the wild and ecstatic maenads, female devotees who often reached states of divine frenzy, and the satyrs, mischievous half-man, half-goat beings. The worship of Bacchus was marked by theatrical processions, dances, and plays, reflecting his patronage of the theater and the dramatic arts. Bacchus’s mythology...