Portrait medallion of Dr John Fothergill

A charming likeness of Dr John Fothergill, the prominent physician, botanist, and patron of Sydney Parkinson. Fothergill, a practicing Quaker, was not only a reputable physician, but had a lifelong interest in botany and conchology. As a result, he became an intimate friend of Sir Joseph Banks, and corresponded widely with the great naturalist. It was Fothergill who bought the shell collection of Parkinson, and he was also instrumental in seeing Parkinson’s unofficial account of Cook’s first voyage through the press, defending the literary property against lawsuits and preparing a second edition during the long wait for resolution of the dispute.

This portrait, by long tradition, has been attributed to Wedgwood’s great craftsman John Flaxman, but as with many of these medallions this has never been absolutely confirmed. Reilly and Savage comment that the source for the design has been considered to be an engraving by Valentine Green dated 1781, but that the medallion’s inclusion in the 1779 Wedgwood catalogue makes this unlikely. As Reily and Savage confirm, the likely source is the Medical Society medal of 1773, designed by the famous Lewis Pingo, well known for his designs on various naval medals, including the Royal Society medal in commemoration of Captain Cook.