{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1790181"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1790181/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PP2216/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PP2216/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PP2216","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1790181/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1790181","accessionNumber":"WE.12503-2014","objectType":"Bust","titles":[{"title":"Bust of Ben Jonson","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Ornamental busts became an important feature of Georgian country house décor during the neo-classical movement of the mid to late 18th century. Contemporaries in Britain increasingly sought to decorate their houses in a style that emulated the classics and ancients of Greek and Rome and other key figures in history. Such interior decoration was an attempt by contemporaries to showcase their highly educated status. This bust depicts 'Ben Jonson' (1572-1637), an English playwright. This model was supplied by Hoskins & Grant. Hoskins & Grant, earlier known as Hoskins & Oliver, supplied Wedgwood with both plaster moulds and casts of figures and busts until 1779. It is made from Black basalt, a stoneware body that was developed by Josiah Wedgwood from the traditional local 'Black Egyptian' pottery in the 1760s and introduced to the market in 1768. It was richer in colour due to the addition of manganese and also finer in texture and very hard due to the use of sifted ball clay and the use of a very high firing temperature. The new clay was ideal for finely turned shapes with polished surfaces and detailed modelling. Wedgwood said of his newly refined Black Basalt body that ‘the Black is Sterling and will last forever’.","physicalDescription":"Black Basalt bust model of the playwright Ben Jonson. He wears contemporary clothing, and looks forward and down. The bust is truncated before the shoulders and is supported on a pedestal with a name plaque that reads 'JOHNSON', the bust is hollow.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Josiah Wedgwood and Sons","id":"A1450"},"association":{"text":"manufacturers","id":"AAT25230"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Hoskins and Grant","id":"A18989"},"association":{"text":"modellers","id":"AAT25417"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"black basalt","id":"x30176"}],"techniques":[{"text":"moulded","id":"AAT53134"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"black basalt","categories":[{"text":"V&A Wedgwood Collection","id":"THES276060"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"WED","id":"THES270009"},"images":["2026PP2216"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"WDG1","id":"THES264736"},"free":"","case":"CA24","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"busts","id":"AAT47457"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Etruria","id":"x33200"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1777 - 1780","earliest":"1777-01-01","latest":"1780-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"V&A Wedgwood Collection. Presented by Art Fund with major support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, private donations and a public appeal.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"442","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"243","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of shoulders","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"170","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"nose to back of shoulders","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"157","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of base","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"No inscription","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Purchased from Mr Eustace F. Calland. 1950","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Bust of Ben Jonson, black basalt, model supplied by Hoskins and Grant for Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, Etruria, 1777-1780.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"WDG1/CA24","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"24.02 Bust of Ben Johnson, Black basalt / Plaster model supplied by Hoskins and Grant, 1777 / 1777-80'","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["WE.12503-2014"],"accessionNumberNum":"12503","accessionNumberPrefix":"WE","accessionYear":2014,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Wedgwood Museum Accession number","id":"THES269972"},"number":"5156"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-04","recordCreationDate":"2024-11-05","availableToBook":false}}