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Keystone-shaped plaque with the head of ?Ossian in relief, perhaps after a model by John Bacon, c.1779
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SM M1130. ©Sir John Soane's Museum, London. Photo: Art UK
Keystone-shaped plaque with the head of ?Ossian in relief, perhaps after a model by John Bacon, c.1779
c.1775
Coade Stone
Height: 68.5cm
Height: 23in
Depth: 2in
Width: 11.5in, at the bottom
Height: 23in
Depth: 2in
Width: 11.5in, at the bottom
Museum number: M1130
On display: Colonnade - north wall
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit
Curatorial note
Wedge-shaped panel with the head of (?) Ossian in relief. The nose badly damaged. Presumably a specimen from Coade and Seely artificial stone factory at Lambeth. An album of etchings of Coade products in the Museum includes several key-stone heads of this type (p.64, nos. 438, 439 and 446). Bo. 438 is almost identical with this specimen, but measures 2ft. 3in. deep. The subject has been variously thought to be a River God or Neptune but seems more likely to be the blind Ossian, legendary bard and supposed author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson (1736--1796) from 1760. Mcpherson claimed the poems were translated from ancient Gaelic originals but in fact they were probably largely written by him. Soane owned a copy of the Poems of Ossian (1773). John Bacon (1740-1799) was employed by Mrs Coade and may well have been responsible for this work.
We are grateful to Murdo Macdonald, Emeritus Professor of History of Scottish Art, University of Dundee, for his new suggested identification of the subject of this work as Ossian (2020).
We are grateful to Murdo Macdonald, Emeritus Professor of History of Scottish Art, University of Dundee, for his new suggested identification of the subject of this work as Ossian (2020).
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk