About this piece
back to topAn antique Wedgwood black basalt bust of Homer.
This Grand Tour sculpture is a very stylish depiction of the scholar.
This English bust depicts the legendary poet and author Homer who is presumed to have penned the two of ancient Greece’s most epic poems: the Iliad and the Odyssey. Scholars are uncertain whether or not Homer actually existed but if he in fact did exist, Homer would be regarded as one of the greatest literary artists of his time.
At over 160 years old, this Homer bust is in good condition, features such as the nose, wrinkles of the brow and beard are still intact and clearly defined.
Wedgwood first began creating black basalt wares in 1768. This dense and fine-grained basalt bust remains to this day of fine quality.
This bust bares a great likeness to his famous portrait, which was likely first depicted during the Hellenistic era but remains recognisable to this day.
It captures his supposed likeness in incredible levels of detail including his blindness – though whether or not he was actually blind is another cause for debate.
Despite the questions over his existence, Homer has become synonymous with the history of Ancient Greece.
The bust is stamped Homer and Wedgwood to the back.