Huntington Library — John Flaxman: Empire, Nation, and Commerce

My proposal is for a 3 month fellowship at the Huntington Library to research the institution's collection of 81 drawings by the British artist John Flaxman, the largest collection outside the UK. I will pursue two strands of research with Huntington collections at their core, both of which will form the body of two chapters of my doctoral thesis on Flaxman. The first will study Flaxman's unrealised designs for the exterior sculpture of Buckingham Palace in the context of contemporary discourse around British national identity. The second will examine Flaxman's designs for the decorative arts, investigating the complex relationship between the arts, empire, and commerce in his collaborations with Wedgwood and the silversmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. Having honed my research skills throughout my postgraduate studies in the UK, a fellowship would allow me to extend my experience in a US research environment. Alongside access to the drawings and the Huntington's extensive secondary collections, I would seek opportunities to develop my work through connection and collaboration with curatorial staff and the international community of scholars at the Library. Please note, I can be flexible with my start date and the date below is one potential option of many.