A major exhibition at York Art Gallery starting next month will bring together more than 70 works to explore the influence of Yorkshire artist John Flaxman, whose work shaped British sculpture, illustration and ceramic design.
Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman, which marks the bicentenary of Flaxman’s death, will display works from leading collections across the UK alongside pieces from the gallery’s own holdings. The exhibition explores his influence through paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics and decorative arts.
Among the highlights are JMW Turner’s Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus, on loan from the National Gallery, works by Turner and William Blake from Tate, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’s Paolo and Francesca, Wedgwood jasperware designed by Flaxman, sculpture from major national collections, and the monumental silver-gilt Shield of Achilles, one of only five in existence.
A Yorkshire-born Neoclassical master
Flaxman, who was born in York on 6 July 1755, became one of Britain’s most influential artists of the late-18th and early-19th centuries. His clean outline drawings for Homer, Dante, and other classical poets became defining images of the Neoclassical movement and were admired across Europe by artists such as Turner, Blake and Ingres.
His work for Josiah Wedgwood helped establish the enduring appeal of jasperware, while his sculptures and public monuments influenced British artistic taste for generations. Despite being firmly grounded in historical themes, his illustrations were remarkably accessible in their clarity, simplicity and expressiveness.
An influence across generations
Turner was inspired by Flaxman’s vision of Homer in works such as Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus. Blake admired the deep spiritual energy of his drawings, while fellow York-born artist William Etty also adopted elements of Flaxman’s classical approach.
Flaxman retained strong ties to his native city despite achieving international recognition. He is commemorated on the façade of York Art Gallery among other distinguished artists of the region, and his influence can still be seen in museums, public sculpture, and the continuing popularity of Wedgwood ceramics and classical imagery.
Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman will be presented in partnership with the University of York’s Department of History of Art, and runs at York Art Gallery from 18 September 2026 to 17 January 2027. It will be accompanied by a fully illustrated publication and a programme of talks and events exploring Flaxman’s influence on British and European art.
Turner, Wedgwood & Beyond: Inspired by Flaxman runs from 18 September 2026 to 17 January 2027. Exhibition access is included with general admission to York Art Gallery. Prices: Adults (25+): £9.00, 65+, students, & young adults (17-24): £8.10, children (under 16): £5.40, York Museums Trust Members & Art Fund Members: Free Visitors are encouraged to pre-book a timed entry slot online to guarantee entry, especially during busy weekend hours.
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