Queluz, and the Statues of John Cheere

Under construction.

The Palace at Queluz, near Lisbon, Portugal,

and the Lead Statues created by John Cheere (1709 - 87).
The Statues supplied in 1755 and 1757.

Introduction.

My intention is to put together a series of posts on each statue or group supplied by John Cheere for King Pedro III to the Royal Palace at Queluz, Portugal and to attempt give as much background information that is currently available on the life and works of John Cheere - the format will inevitably change and have to be readjusted as I proceed. 

I visited Queluz in April of 2018 and took many photographs but because of other projects, not least moving house and organising the restoration of our new property, I have had to wait until now to put these pieces together. 

I will use my own photographs as much as possible to illustrate the statues still in the garden but will attempt to find illustrations of the types of those that have gone missing over the centuries.

Samson slaying the Philistine.

Sometimes refered to as Cain and Abel

For the World Monuments Fund Queluz website see -

https://wmf.org.uk/Projects/the-john-cheere-sculptures-at-queluz-national-palace-portugal/

For an excellent introduction to the history and works at Queluz see the WMF book The Gardens of the National Palace of Queluz Conservation Intervention published in 2012 and available in PDF format -

https://www.wmf.org/sites/default/files/article/pdfs/Queluz%20Garden%20ENG%20%281%29.pdf

For a brief overview from Google Arts and Culture see -

https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-palace-of-queluz?hl=en-GB

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Two invaluable general works on the subject of Lead Statuary are English Leadwork, ..... by Lawrence Weaver, pub. 1909 and available on line at -

https://archive.org/stream/englishleadworki00weav#page/n9/mode/2up

and Antique Garden Ornament by John Davies, pub Antique Collectors Club, 1999.

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Rupert Harris Conservation Ltd were the main contractors to the World Monuments Fund for the exemplary restoration and conservation of the lead statues at Queluz.

https://rupertharris.com/

https://rupertharris.com/collections/featured/products/the-palace-of-queluz-aeneas-and-anchises

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https://www.wmf.org/project/queluz-palace-garden

https://wmf.org.uk/Projects/technical-case-study/

https://wmf.org.uk/Projects/the-john-cheere-sculptures-at-queluz-national-palace-portugal/


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For Lead Sculpture at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire.

http://leadrestoration.co.uk/h-a-r-l-e-q-u-i-n-a-n-d-c-o-l-u-m-b-i-n-e

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aeneas_and_Anchises_by_John_Cheere,_1700s_-_Wrest_Park_-_Bedfordshire,_England_-_DSC08325.jpg

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wrest-park/history/collection

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1113789


https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/statue-of-the-young-adonis-at-wrest-park/IAGV4fdMEWYITw





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For the Giambologna marble version of Samson slaying the Philistine (Cain and Abel) at Buckingham House at the time, from which the Cheere lead version derives, and which is now in the V and A, see -

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/giambolognas-samson-and-a-philistine/