Bust of bearded man

1 Plaster bust, sawn off pedestal, man bearded, hair projecting over forehead, marked "Publd. May 3 1811 by R. Shout, Holborn, London" 7 1/4" high

This item is part of the sculpture collection built by Scottish engineer James Watt from the 1790s onwards, which was kept for a long time in his garret workshop at his home, Heathfield, in Handsworth, Birmingham. Robert Shout (1778-1819) is recorded as a sculptor and sculptural model maker in Holborn, London, where he worked alonsgide his father Benjamin. He also sold plaster casts to Josiah Wedgwood which formed the basis for some of his products. Watt purchased items and then multiplied them using the machines and materials in the workshop, making copies in different materials. The project was a fitting end to Watt’s career, continuing his interest in precision manufacture and multiplying images of himself, his associates and many other subjects in a way which is a microcosm of the larger changes in industry which were sweeping large parts of the UK.