Terms and conditions of use
Virgil vase
(c. 1800)
Medium
stoneware (black jasper dip)
Measurements
(a-c) 79.9 × 28.8 cm diameter (overall)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Mrs Norma Deutsher, Governor, 1994
Gallery location
17th to 18th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
The Virgil vase was created as acompanion piece to Wedgwood’s highly prized Homer vase. It depicts the apotheosis of Virgil, the ancient Roman poet, and is thought to have represented a counterpoint to the ancient Greek poet and author of the Iliad and the Odyssey represented on the Homer vase. Despite being a similar shape to the Homer vase, there is no known Classical source for the scenes depicted on the Virgil vase; rather, the subject was likely invented specifically to parallel that of the Homer vase. Although this vase dates to the early nineteenthcentury, as do all extant examples, atablet with this subject first appeared inthe Wedgwood catalogue in 1787.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Staffordshire, England
Inscription
(a) impressed in base l.c.: WEDGWOOD
(c) impressed (inverted) in base l.c.: WEDGWOOD / T
Accession Number
D21.a-c-1994
Department
International Decorative Arts
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Physical description
Ovoid footed with snake handles arising from Medusa masks. Decorated with scene of young poet, Virgil, with a scroll in his hand, standing between two women. Above, two winged Victory figures offer crowns.