William Hackwood (c. 1757–1839) was a modeller for

Wedgwood Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...

from 1769 until 1832. He began work in the Etruria factory as an "ingenious boy", in

Josiah Wedgwood Josiah Wedgwood (12 July 1730 – 3 January 1795) was an English potter, entrepreneur and abolitionist. Founding the Wedgwood company in 1759, he developed improved pottery bodies by systematic experimentation, and was the leader in the indus ...

's phrase, where he was "... of the greatest value and consequence in finishing fine small work." In time, he became head of ornamental art for the firm. He modelled many of Wedgwood's 18th-century portrait medallions, including those of Wedgwood himself,

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

, and

Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...

. His portraits of David Garrick and

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

were signed but most were not. His work for the 18th-century abolitionist movement, ''Am I Not a Man and a Brother'' (circa 1787), perhaps to a design by Wedgwood himself, was widely distributed by the anti-slavery movement. A surviving contract between Josiah Wedgwood and William Hackwood, dated November 1777, specifies that Hackwood's basic wage was to be £1 11s 6d. per week and that his house was to be rent-free. Additional payments were made on a per-piece basis.

References

Wedgwood Museum: Hackwood's legacy

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackwood, William English sculptors English male sculptors Wedgwood pottery