Thomas Wedgwood Medallion - Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, UK. - Relief Art Sculptures on Waymarking.com

The bas relief head of Thomas Wedgwood, is located on a brick wall at the Etruria Road entrance to Etruria Park. The medallion was placed as a recognition of Thomas Wedgwood's photographic achievements.

The circular medallion showing Thomas Wedgwood's head in profile was taken from a contemporary chalk drawing by an unknown artist that had survived in the ownership of the Wedgwood family. It was commissioned by the Society of Staffordshire Photographers and was created by ceramicist Eric Owen. It is made of basalt and measures 75cm in diameter.

The medallion is inscribed as follows;
(above head) THOMAS WEDGWOOD 1771-1805
(below head) PIONEER OF PHOTOGRAPHY

A small bronze plaque underneath medallion is inscribed as follows;
'THIS PLAQUE ERECTED
BY THE SOCIETY OF
STAFFORDSHIRE PHOTOGRAPHERS
TO COMMEMORATE THE WORK OF
THOMAS WEDGWOOD
OF ETRURIA HALL
PIONEER OF PHOTOGRAPHY
UNVEILED 11TH JUNE 1953
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Signatures: (on base of relief) Eric Owen 1953, also stamped WEDGWOOD/BARLASTON'

The Society of Staffordshire Photographers was formed in 1951. The plaque was made and presented to them by the directors of Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd of Barlaston. It was unveiled by Bertram Sinkinson, the President of the Royal Photographic Society on 11th June 1953.

"Thomas Wedgwood is best known as a pioneer of photography. He attended Edinburgh University from 1787 to 1789, but was forced to leave due to persistent ill health.
Although prevented from working in his father's potteries by constant headaches, he nevertheless conducted a series of scientific experiments, presenting two papers to the Royal Society in 1791 and 1792 on the equal temperature of red-hot objects.
In 1802, he presented a paper on his discovery of a method of copying objects by exposing paper soaked in silver nitrate to the sun. When the objects were removed, their silhouettes would appear on those parts of the paper which had not been exposed to the light.
However, he could not find a means to fix his pictures (known as photograms), which prevented his method from becoming popular.
Nevertheless, his photograms, if kept in the dark, would last easily for sixty years or more." Source: (visit link) (visit link)
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Your impression of the sculpture?: Date Sculpture was opened for vewing?: 06/11/1953 Where is this sculpture?: Etruria Park, Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent,, Staffordshire, England, UK. ST1 4BS Sculptors Name: Eric Owen Website for sculpture?: Not listed

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