Post under construction.
The Plaster Busts of Caracalla and Marcus Aurelius.
in The Court Room at the Foundling Hospital.
On carved wooden Brackets.
Anonymous Casts.
Here suggested as perhaps supplied by Louis Francois Roubiliac.
First suggested by Mrs Katherine Esdaile in her monograph - Life and Works of Louis Francois Roubiliac, published Oxford 1928. Page 141 and note 3.
This book is no longer regarded as a totally reliable resource.
She states that a number of Artists at a meeting at the Turks Head on 7 December 1760, had agreed to appear on the 5 November in the following year ...........among those signing the paper recording the promise were Reynolds, Wilson and Roubiliac.
She goes on to say that the busts were presented on the same day and that they bore his signature and the date 7 November 1760. She had contacted the secretary Mr RW Nichols who had had the busts taken down and inspected but stated that any inscription had been obscured by the repeated coats of paint - (not unusual given that it was easier to repaint this type of object rather than laboriously clean them - a fate of many plaster objects and their surroundings from the 18th century). My Italics.
In the ambiguous footnote she says " I have most unfortunately omitted to give my authority - an 18th century one - for my note: Foundling Hospital. Plaster Busts of M Aurelius and Caracalla L.F.R. Dec 7th 1760.
She then states that "The historian of the Foundling Hospital however states that the busts were presented by Richard Dalton (Print seller art dealer - in 1754? )but though this would exclude Roubiliac from the list of donors of works of art to the Hospital they may have been his work. (this does not exclude John Cheere either) my Italics!.
The Court Room was the most elaborate interior in the
Foundling Hospital and was used for meetings of the court of governors. It is
richly decorated in an amalgam of the Palladian and the Rococo: almost all the
wall decorations including the marble fireplace and overmantle frame, the
picture frames and adjacent plaster decoration are in the Palladian style with
occasional rococo detailing, while the plasterwork ceiling, given by William
Wilton, is in a much more free-flowing rococo.
Much of the carved work in the Court Room appears to have been supplied by the leading cabinet-maker, William Hallett senior (c.1707-81) of Great Newport Street, Long Acre.
Hallett was a very significant figure in the cabinet-making world and had built up sufficient funds to make purchases at the demolition sale of the Duke of Chandos's great Edgware mansion of Canons in 1747 and then construct himself a new house on the site.
While his son
continued in business for a period, his grandson led the life of a gentleman
and was painted in 1786 with his wife in the double portrait, The Morning Walk,
by Thomas Gainsborough in the National Gallery.
William Hallett's charges included £3.15s on 12 November
1745 for 'an Oval Glass in a Carv'd Frame' (presumably the frame between the
windows in the Court Room, with an egg-and-dart cabochon moulding surrounded by
scrolling foliage and rocaille work), £5.10s on 16 December 1746 for 'Carving 4
Frees's over Doors' (the oak-leaf-and-acorn door friezes, tied with ribbons)
and £3.10s in March 1747 for '2 Carved Bracketts to set Bustoes on' (now
supporting busts of Caracalla and Marcus Aurelius). He also charged £11.4s on
15 November 1746 for '8 Carved Oval Frames for Pictures'.
This reference might suggest that the brackets were prepared in 1747 to take existing busts or busts in preparation.
The subject matter is appropriate -it depicts an allegorical figure of Charity carrying a child.
Rysbrack was one of a number of artists
with close connections with the charity and was elected a Governor and Guardian
of the hospital in 1745.
The King was graciously pleased to grant his royal
charter for establishing this hospital, which was dated the 17th of October,
1739.
By 1745 the first wing of the hospital had been built.
this On the 29th of March 1749, the Governors at a general
court being informed of the increase of benefactions to this charity, of the
number of the children, and the expediency of keeping the boys separate from
the girls, gave directions for building the other wing of the hospital, and the
whole design has been since compleated. These wings are directly opposite to
each other, and are built in a plain but regular, substantial, and convenient
manner, of brick, with handsome piazzas. It is well suited to the purpose, and
as fine as hospitals should be. On the farthest end is placed the chapel, which
is joined to the wings by an arch on each side, and is very elegant within.
Before the hospital is a large piece of ground, on each side whereof is a
colonade of great length, which also extends towards the gates, that are
double, with a massy pier between, so that coaches may pass and repass at the
same time; and on each side is a door to admit those on foot. The large area
between this outer gate and the hospital is adorned with grass plats, gravel
walks, and lamps erected upon handsome posts: besides which there are two
handsome gardens. The print shews the hospital in two different views.
In erecting these buildings particular care was taken to
render them neat and substantial, without any costly decorations; but the first
wing of the hospital was scarcely inhabited, when several eminent masters in
painting, carving, and other of the polite arts, were pleased to contribute
many elegant ornaments, which are placed in the hospital as monuments of the
charity and abilities of these great masters.
In the court room are placed four capital pictures, taken
from sacred history, the subjects of which are suitable to the place for which
they were designed.
The first, which is painted by Mr. Hayman, is taken from
Exodus ii. 8, 9. “The maid went and called the child’s mother, and Pharaoh’s
daughter said unto her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will
give you wages.”
The following verse is the subject of the next picture, done
by Mr. Hogarth, viz. “And the child grew up, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s
daughter, and he became her son, and she called his name Moses.”
The third picture is the history of Ishmael, painted by Mr.
Highmore, the subject of which is taken from Gen. xxi. 17. “And the angel of
the Lord called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, What aileth thee,
Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.”
The fourth picture is painted by Mr. Wills, and is taken
from Luke xviii. 16. 329“Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
On each side of these pictures are placed small drawings in
circular frames of the most considerable hospitals in and about London, done by
Mr. Haytley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Whale, and Mr. Gainsborough.
Over the chimney is placed a very curious bas relief, done
by Mr. Rysbrack, and presented by him, representing children employed in
husbandry and navigation; to which employments those in the hospital are
destined.
The other ornaments of the room were given by several
ingenious workmen, who had been employed in building the hospital, and were
willing to contribute to adorn it. The stucco work was given by Mr. William
Wilton; the marble chimney piece, by Mr. Deval; the table with its frame
curiously carved, by Mr. John Saunderson; and the glass by Mr. Hallet.
In the other rooms of the hospital are the pictures of
several of the governors and benefactors, viz. Mr. Thomas Coram, by Mr.
Hogarth; Mr. 330Milner and Mr. Jacobson, by Mr. Hudson; Dr. Mead, by Mr.
Ramsey; and Mr. Emerson, by Mr. Highmore. In the dining room is a large and
beautiful sea piece of the English fleet in the Downs by Mr. Monamy; and over
the chimney in another room is Mr. Hogarth’s original painting of the march to
Finchley.
In the chapel the altar piece is finely painted by a fine
Italian painter, representing the wisemen making their offerings to the infant
Jesus, who is held in his mother’s arms. And here we ought not to forget the
fine organ presented by Mr. Handel, who has even made this of great benefit to
the hospital, and from the most benevolent views, has enriched the foundation
by a new revenue raised from the powers of harmony, and has had a sacred
oratorio performed several times in the year, to crowded audiences, in which he
himself played upon the organ gratis.
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