Sunday 30 August 2015

Alfred The Great, Terracotta bust from Queen Caroline's Library, Destroyed in 1906.

 
 
Terracotta bust by Michael Rysbrack.
Elizabeth of York (1466 -1503), consort of Henry VII.
 
65.3 x 35.0 x 23.0 cms
 
One of the Eleven Busts by Michael Rysbrack,
Seven were accidently destroyed when a shelf collapsed

at Windsor Castle in 1906.
 
The Original Photographs were taken by Livingstone in 1874 for a royal inventory.

The busts had been moved to Windsor Castle in 1825 when Queen Caroline’s library at St James’s Palace was demolished.
 
 
 
The terracotta bust of Alfred the Great.
This bust had until now been wrongly identified as Edward III.
 
Royal Collection Trust / © HM Queen Elizabeth II, 2015.
 
 
The Stourhead marble bust of Alfred the Great by Michael Rysbrack.
 
 
Portland Stone bust of Alfred the Great by Michael Rysbrack.
 
in the Temple of British Worthies at Stowe.
 
 
 
The earliest representation of Alfred the Great is in Matthew Paris's Major Chronicle of c.1250. The portrait above was commissioned by Thomas Walker master of University College Oxford. The claim that Alfred the Great was the founder of the college had been promulgated by William Camden (1551 - 1623) who published Brittania  in 1586 first  in Latin and later in English - 1603 edition of Asser's Life of King Alfred.
 
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Late 17th century Engraving of Alfred the Great
Michael Burgers.
 
Stone head of Alfred the Great at Brasenose College, Oxford
Engraved by Michael Burgers (1653 - 1727).
43 x 44 mm (cut).
 
 
 
 
Engraving of Alfred the Great 
by Michael Burgers (1653 - 1727).
258 x 158 mm.
 
Showing two stone heads - the left head being the obvious inspiration for the engraved portrait of Alfred the Great.
Note - Michael Burgers, Engraver, born Amsterdam, emigrated to England 1672/3. Working in Oxford, initially as Loggan's assistant from 1673, and appointed (or was called) University engraver after Loggan's death in 1692. Engraved the university almanacks.
 
British Museum.
 
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Late 17th century engraving by Michael Burgers.
 
253 x 158 mm
 
 
Portrait, half length, of Alfred the Great, wearing crown, ermine mantle and holding sceptre, from a statue (?) in St Albans; below two portraits of Alfred with orbs and sceptres; from a window at All Souls' College, Oxford.
 
British Museum.
 
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Headpiece from Unidentified book attrib. to Michael Burgers.
74 x 186 mm.
 
British Museum.
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Frontispiece from Sir John Spelman's Life of Aelfred.1709.
 
 
 
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Mezzotint of Alfred the Great
Engraved by John Faber Snr. 1712
257 x 200mm
British Museum.
 
 
 
Engraving Anon mid 18th Century
 
156 x 93 mm.
 
NPG.
 
 
 
 
Engraving by Giles King
pub. James Mechell.
c.1733 360 x 230
British Museum 
 
 
 
Engraving by George Vertue 1732
From Paul Rapin de Thoyras
288 x 191 mm.
 
British Museum 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Alfred the Great.
Engraving by George Vertue
162 x 92 mm
NPG.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alfred the Great.
 
Plaster Roundel in Caesars Hall, Kedleston. Circa 1760.