Wedgwood Captain James Cook medallion

Portrait medallions were among the most popular 18th century decorative objects offered by Wedgwood, England's most important pottery at the time. Established in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood at Burslem, Staffordshire, by the early 1770s his factory was making tableware and 'ornamental ware' designed mostly in the neoclassical style, which supplanted rococo as the mainstream decorative style.

In 1769 Josiah entered into partnership with Thomas Bentley (died 1780). Always ahead of their rivals with stylistic and technological innovations, Wedgwood & Bentley developed a range of new ceramic bodies for 'ornamental ware'. The most important was jasper, a fine-grained, hard, pure white stoneware introduced in 1774. Named 'jasper' because of its resemblance to much admired ancient hardstone gems, this versatile material was often stained in a range of colours, the most famous being Wedgwood blue.

Taking advantage of the current passion for portraiture, Wedgwood began issuing neoclassical portrait medallions in 1771. The first examples were made exclusively in black basalt (black stoneware), but from 1777 most were fashioned in jasper. Although blue and white colour combinations (white portrait applied over blue ground) were the most popular, other colours were also used. Wedgwood was to regularly expand the 'Heads of illustrious moderns' series for the next 40 years.

Among the most important Wedgwood portrait medallions relating to Australia are those depicting Captain James Cook. First examples were produced in 1777 in both black basalt and dark blue jasper dip. The design is attributed to the noted sculptor John Flaxman, who worked for Wedgwood as a modeller from 1775. It was based on the first published portrait of Cook, an engraving by J Asire which appeared on the frontispiece to his 'Voyages' in 1777. The engraving was adapted from a painting by William Hodges, who was the official artist on Cook's second voyage of 1772-1775. Wedgwood issued two other portrait medallions of Captain Cook, in 1779 and 1784.

Marked 'Wedgwood & Bentley', the Museum's Captain Cook medallion is the only known example crafted in yellow (buff) jasper. It is possible that it was an experimental or trial piece.