Josiah Wedgwood was an early pioneer of Egyptomania, in 1771 he wrote to Bentley: 'Are not Canopus's a good middle sized vase for paint^g, the nozzle and other parts may be screw'd fast together for those who choose them', see Robin Reilly, Wedgwood, Vol. I, London, 1989, p. 418 and see fig. 581 for a basalt encaustic decorated example of this model in the V& A Wedgwood Collection (accession no. WE.7807-2014). The design was inspired by ancient Egyptian vessels designed to hold the internal organs, or viscera, of the deceased. While emulating the shape of ancient original canopic jar, Wedgwood has captured the appeal of these mystical and exotic objects, converting them into fashionable and decorative chimney ornaments. Wedgwood drew on a number of archaeological publications for both the design and decoration of his ornamental basalt wares, and in this instance the shape and decoration of the basalt example are closely based on Bernard de Montfaucon’s 'L’Antiquité Expliquée' et representée en figures, 1719, Vol. II, pl. CXXXII, which shows four views of the jar.¹

The Signs of the Zodiac were drawn by Mary Landré in 1774 and modelled by William Hackwood. See the rosso antico canopic jar in the collection of the National Trust, Stourhead, (NT 730562).

1. See Robin Reilly, Wedgwood, Vol.. I, London, 1989, p. 418, fig. 581.