‘Charmology Head’ by Karen Thompson
Scarborough Art Gallery
This unusual ceramic bust was created by contemporary artist Karen Thompson. It was developed from a commission to create an artwork which took inspiration from the William Clarke Charm Collection at Scarborough Museums and Galleries.
The bust itself is based on images of William Clarke. Born in Scarborough in 1868, Clarke developed an early interest in the natural world, later becoming a founding member of the Scarborough Field Naturalists. The folk charms he collected were believed to cure ailments and bring luck and protection.
The head is adorned with representations of a range of the charms, positioned at various places across the skull in a way that deliberately echoes late Victorian ‘phrenology’ heads. At that time, some scientists and physicians believed that the shape and size of a person’s cranium gave indications of their characteristics and mental capacity.
It shows a meeting of one different ways of thinking about medicine in the late Victorian era, one using charms for healing and the other showing the scientific profession’s misguided diagnoses based on misunderstandings of the human body. Neither are part of modern medical practices.
Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Developing a range of ideas
Thompson used details such as the hand-written labels belonging to William Clarke to develop her artwork further.
Thompson made this bust from a mould and has subsequently used the mould to create other heads, including the tureens she discusses in the video below.
Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Watch the Video – Artist Karen Thompson shares her artwork
Watch The Video With Subtitles
Talking Points
Do you like the idea of making portrait busts that are playful, with removeable parts, like Thompson’s?
Which bust is your favourite?
Thompson modelled her busts on a portrait of the Victorian collector William Clarke, but who would you model one on?
What did you find surprising about this work of art?
Do you like the artwork? Why / why not?
Vocabulary
Cranium: the part of the skull enclosing the brain
Phrenology: the pseudo-scientific study of the shape of the cranium in order to determine a person’s character and mental abilities, now discredited
Artistic commission: when an artist is paid to produce a custom-made work of art
In the Classroom
Design your own
What sort of portrait bust would you design? Would it have a drawer in it, or a head that comes off? Would it have a practical function? What could it be wearing?
Hands on History
Find more unusual artwork at galleries near you. You can explore more of collection at Scarborough Museums and Galleries on their website too.
Museum Location
Associated Objects
