Note 58 — Chapter XI

Of this clever painter Mr. Binns says:—“Baxter was certainly the most accomplished artist who painted Worcester porcelain in the first half of the present century, and his productions are the most covetable works of the time. We have been favoured by his son, Mr. Thomas Baxter, F.G.S., with a few notes respecting him. It was Mr. Baxter’s early training, aided by a naturally artistic mind, which enabled him to take the high position which we have assigned to him. Mr. Baxter’s grandfather had workshops in London for painting and gilding china; they were situated at No. 1, Goldsmith Street, Gough Square, Fleet Street, a locality connected with Worcester from an early date. It was usual for Mr. Baxter, sen., to obtain white porcelain from France, Staffordshire, and elsewhere, and decorate for the London dealers. It appears that Mr. Baxter, jun., was patronised by Lord Nelson, and frequently employed by him in making sketches at Merton; he also painted a rich dessert service for his lordship. Many of the celebrated subjects of the time painted by Sir J. Reynolds, West, and others, were introduced by him on plaques of porcelain; some of them are now in his son’s possession, viz., ‘Thetis and Achilles,’ after West; ‘Puck,’ after Sir J. Reynolds; and ‘Boy with Cabbage Nets,’ after the same artist. Mr. Baxter was also engaged by a celebrated connoisseur, in London, to copy some of the more remarkable works in his collection. This gentleman, in his conversation on Art matters, frequently stated that, in his opinion, there was no decorative Art in England. After his return from Paris, on one occasion, he showed Mr. Baxter a fine piece of porcelain which he had purchased in that city, and asked him whether such a work could be produced in England. To his great surprise, Mr. Baxter replied that he had painted that very piece himself, in Goldsmith Street. This little occurrence will give us some idea of the superior character of our artist’s work, and the effect of his teaching is evident in Messrs. Flight & Barr’s ornamental productions. Mr. Baxter established a School of Art during his visit to the city, from 1814 to 1816; and some of those who afterwards distinguished themselves in connection with the Arts and Art-manufactures of the city formed part of his class. Amongst these, we may name Doe, Astles, Webster, Pitman, Lowe, and S. Cole. When Mr. Baxter left Worcester, in 1816, he went to Mr. Dillwyn, at Swansea, and continued there for three years. Amongst the special works painted at that establishment, may be named the ‘Shakespeare Cup,’ now in the possession of his son, and a dessert service of garden scenery (a style peculiar to himself), which, we believe, is in the possession of Mr. Dillwyn. Mr. Baxter returned to Worcester in 1819, and joined Messrs. Flight & Barr’s establishment again, but subsequently removed to Messrs. Chamberlain’s. The handle of a well-known vase, formed by horses’ heads, was modelled by Mr. Baxter from the head of a favourite mare of Messrs. Barr. During Mr. Baxter’s residence with Messrs. Chamberlain, we believe his principal works were services; and the last of which he was engaged was a service of fruit, of which a specimen is in our cabinet. He died in April, 1821.” The ‘Shakespeare Cup’ or goblet, here alluded to, was “turned by Baxter himself, the form of the leg having the outline of the dramatist’s face in profile; the cup is adorned, both on its inner and outer side, with subjects from the plays.”