Charles Townley

Charles Townley
Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, usine Wedgwood · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Charles Townley
Birth date	1737
Birth place	Burnley, Lancashire
Death date	1805
Death place	London
Occupation	Antiquarian, Collector

Charles Townley was a renowned English antiquarian and collector of antiquities, particularly Roman and Greek sculptures and reliefs. He was born in Burnley, Lancashire, in 1737 and spent his life amassing an impressive collection of artworks from Italy, Greece, and Rome. Townley's collection included notable pieces such as the Townley Venus, a Roman marble statue of Venus, and the Townley Discobolus, a Roman marble statue of Discobolus. He was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a member of the Royal Society.

● Early Life and Education

Charles Townley was born into a wealthy Catholic family in Burnley, Lancashire, and was educated at Stonyhurst College and later at University College, Oxford. During his time at Oxford University, he developed a strong interest in classical antiquity and archaeology, which would later become the focus of his life's work. Townley's early life was also influenced by his family's connections to the English Catholic community, including notable figures such as Charles Butler and John Lingard. He was also acquainted with other prominent English collectors and antiquarians, including Horace Walpole and William Hamilton.

● Career

Townley's career as a collector and antiquarian spanned several decades, during which he traveled extensively throughout Europe, particularly in Italy and Greece. He was a member of the Society of Dilettanti, a group of English aristocrats and collectors who shared his passion for classical antiquity. Townley's connections to the Society of Dilettanti also brought him into contact with other notable figures, including Joshua Reynolds and Antonio Canova. He was also a fellow of the Royal Academy, where he exhibited several of his collected artworks, including the Townley Shield, a Roman marble relief.

● Art Collection

Charles Townley's art collection was one of the most impressive of its time, featuring a wide range of Roman and Greek sculptures, reliefs, and other antiquities. The collection included notable pieces such as the Townley Vase, a Roman marble vase, and the Townley Caryatid, a Roman marble statue of a caryatid. Townley's collection was also notable for its inclusion of Egyptian antiquities, such as the Townley Sarcophagus, an Egyptian limestone sarcophagus. The collection was later acquired by the British Museum, where it remains one of the museum's most prized possessions, alongside other notable collections such as the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone.

● Legacy

Charles Townley's legacy as a collector and antiquarian is still celebrated today, with his collection remaining one of the most important and influential in the world. The British Museum continues to exhibit and study the Townley Collection, which has been the subject of numerous exhibitions and publications, including the British Museum's own catalogue of the collection. Townley's contributions to the field of classical archaeology have also been recognized by institutions such as the University of Oxford and the Royal Academy, which have both honored his memory with lectures and exhibitions. His collection has also been the subject of study by notable scholars and historians, including Johann Joachim Winckelmann and Ennio Quirino Visconti. Category:Art collectors