Joseph Panzetta facts for kids
Joseph Panzetta was a talented Italian artist who made sculptures and models. He worked in England for many years, from about 1787 to 1830. His art was even shown at the famous Royal Academy!
Joseph worked for over 26 years at a special factory owned by Mrs. Eleanor Coade. This factory made beautiful objects from a unique material called Lithodipyra, which is now known as Coade stone. It was a very strong, man-made stone.
Some of Joseph Panzetta's most important artworks include:
- The Admiral Lord Nelson's Pediment (a triangular decoration) at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.
- A huge 5.2-meter (about 17-foot) statue of Lord Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill in Shrewsbury. This statue stands on top of Lord Hill's Column, which is the tallest Doric column in Great Britain!
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Joseph Panzetta's Career
Joseph Panzetta was active as an artist from around 1787 to 1830. He showed his sculptures at the Royal Academy in London between 1789 and 1810. He was a key artist for Mrs. Coade's factory for more than 26 years.
Famous Works
Nelson's Pediment in Greenwich
The Admiral Lord Nelson's Pediment is located in the King William Courtyard at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. The people who worked with Coade stone thought this was their best work ever!
Joseph Panzetta sculpted this pediment in 1813. It was created as a public memorial to Admiral Lord Nelson after he died in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The design was based on a painting by Benjamin West. It shows Nelson's body being offered to Britannia (a symbol of Britain) by a Winged Victory (a symbol of triumph). This large artwork, with many figures, cost £2,584 to make.
The pediment has an inscription that says "Designed by Benjamin West MDCCCXII" (1812).
Lord Hill's Column in Shrewsbury
Lord Hill's Column is a very famous landmark in the town of Shrewsbury, England. Joseph Panzetta created the statue that stands on top of this impressive column.
The statue of Lord Hill is about 16 feet tall. It is believed to be the largest single figure ever made from Coade stone! This huge statue cost £315 in 1816, which was a very large amount of money back then.
Other Sculptures
Joseph Panzetta also created other figures, including sculptures of Nelson, Neptune, and Britannia. He also worked on sculptures for Buckingham Palace. His work there, along with others, cost £1,386 and included many different figures.
