A Monument inscribed by John Cheere in Kingston, Jamaica.

 

The Marble Bust of the Hon. James Lawes ( 1698 - 1734).

The bust is inscribed by John Cheere on the base of the socle

Marble Bust.

 St Andrew Parish Church.

Halfway Tree, Kingston, Jamaica.

The St Nicholas Chapel (western wall) boasts an elaborate memorial to the Hon. James Lawes, son of Sir Nicholas Lawes, (d. 1731 in Jamaica) who was Governor of Jamaica (1718 - 22) and benefactor who had also donated the intricate brass candelabrum to the church in 1706. 

The Hon. James Lawes was only thirty-six years old when he died in 1733, and his widow, Elizabeth née Gibbons contracted John Cheere to provide the monument to him.

James Lawes was born in Jamaica 26/02/1697. Member of Assembly 1721-1722, Member of Council 1725, Lieutenant Governor. Buried 29/12/1733. 

He had no legitimate children. Inherited Snow Hill and Mount James as well as a moity of Swallowfield, Temple Hall and Townswell estates from his father. Married Elizabeth, only daughter and heir of William Gibbons of Vere in 1720. 

She inherited her husband's estates on his death and remarried in 1742 to William, 8th Earl of Home.

 James Lawes of St Andrew, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1734. Slave-ownership at probate: 317 of whom 158 were listed as male and 159 as female. 91 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £21,515.31 Jamaican currency of which £10,228.75 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £0 currency cash, £6,702 currency debts and £2,490.53 currency plate.

 

The will of James Lawes was proved in Jamaica in 1733.

 

Previously Cheere had provided the monument to her mother Deborah Gibbons at St Peters, Vere Jamaica.

 

Elizabeth Lawes later Home, Countess of Home (née Gibbons; 1703/04 – 15 January 1784) was a Jamaican-English heiress. 

She was born in Jamaica in 1703 or 1704  She was the only child and heir of William Gibbons and his wife Deborah. William Gibbons was a West Indies merchant and one of the island's original English planters. Little otherwise is known of him.

 Her mother Deborah Favell was the daughter of John Favell, a member of Jamaica's Council and Assembly.

 In 1720 Elizabeth, then approximately sixteen years old, was married to the twenty-three-year-old James Lawes, son of Sir Nicholas Lawes, the island's governor. Nicholas Lawes was also a wealthy planter who had introduced the island's first printing press as well as the planting of coffee from about 1718.

 

James Lawes was perhaps the most eligible bachelor in Jamaica. He was often in dispute with the island's governor Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland (his father's successor to the post) and would not allow his wife to pay her respects.

 

The Lawes eventually moved to London, where he received the post of lieutenant governor for the island. However, Lawes died in 1734, several months before he could officially begin the position. They had no children.

 

 

Elizabeth inherited a great fortune upon James' death, possessing a jointure of £7,000 and 5,287 acres. She also owned many prosperous Jamaican estates from her father.[10] 

She commissioned English sculptor John Cheere to construct a bust in her husband's honour. The resulting monument, the largest yet to be shipped to the West Indies, was placed in Lawes' home parish of Saint Andrew.

 

Already rich from her merchant father, she married James Lawes, the eligible son of Jamaica's governor, in 1720. 

They moved to London, and his death in 1734 left her a wealthy widow. Elizabeth married the spendthrift William Home, 8th Earl of Home in late 1742. Home abandoned her soon after and she spent her next years living an extravagant lifestyle; Elizabeth earned the nickname "Queen of Hell" for her "irascible" behaviour and lavish parties.

 

 

see - The Burlington Magazine Vol. 109, No. 773 (Aug., 1967), pp. 443-451+453

 

For Monuments in the Colonies see - Persuasion and Propaganda: Monuments and the Eighteenth-Century British Empire by Joan Coutu pub Mc Gill Queens University Press. 2006.

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The Images below Courtesy the Conway Library, Courtauld Gallery Website

The Monument to Mrs Deborah Gibbons d . 1711

Mother of  Elizabeth Lawes later Home, Countess of Home (née Gibbons; 1703/04 – 15 January 1784).

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The Monument to Edward Manning (1710 -56) in Kingston Cathedral Church. Jamaica.

Information here from - 

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146635969

no image available.

The Memorial inscription -

NEAR THIS MONUMENT LIES INTERRED THE BODY OF EDWARD MANNING, ESQ. ONE OF THE HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND CUSTOS ROTULORUM OF THIS PARISH IN WHICH STATIONS HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF. (HIS VIRTUES ARE THEN RECORDED, AND THE INSCRIPTION THUS TERMINATES): HE DIED GREATLY LAMENTED DECEMBER 6th, 1756 AGED 46 YEARS.

Resident slave-owner and agent of the South Sea Co. in Jamaica, party to public divorce proceedings in Jamaica in 1741.

 

Owner of 413 acres and 104 enslaved people in St Andrew, Jamaica, in 1753.

 

Edward Manning was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 750 acres of land in St Andrew, 480 acres in St Thomas-in-the-East, 1500 acres in Portland, 3200 acres in Clarendon and 80 acres in Vere, total 6010 acres.

 

"M.A. Kingston 1744, '45, '49, '52. Portland 1754, '55, '56. Speaker 1756. Called to the Council 1756. Died K.P.C. 1756, December 6; aged 46 years. He was married to the sister of Sir Henry Moore, but they were divorced; Ballard Beckford was the Co-Respondent."

 

Anna Catalina, daughter of Elizabeth Pinnock, a free mulatto woman, by the Honble Edward Manning esq, was born 13/5/1755 and bapt. at Kingston 24/11/1755. Perhaps the mother was Elizabeth Pinnock [no racial description given] whose daughter Sarah was baptised in St Andrew 22/12/1749 [no paternity mentioned].

 

 

Will of Edward Manning of Kingston Jamaica proved 05/05/1758. After monetary legacies to his family in England and providing for 'a free mulatto' woman Elizabeth Pinnock and Elizabeth's children, he left his estates 1/4 to his nephew Sabine Turner and 3/4 to Sarah and Mary Lawrence, the daughters of his sister Sarah Baxter.

 

Edward Manning of Kingston, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1758. Slave-ownership at probate: 609 of whom 327 were listed as male and 282 as female. 132 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £67,297.54 Jamaican currency of which £25,322.18 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £15.39 currency cash, £33,218.13 currency debts and £1,243.56 currency plate.

For the indiscretions of both Manning and his wife in Jamaica see -

https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/27514/2/799860_vol_2.pdf

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Of Tangential Interest.

John Bacon and his Jamaican Monuments.

John Bacon’s commission to produce a statue of Admiral Lord Rodney to be located in the main square of Spanish Town Jamaica led to a further 11 requests from senior government officials and wealthy planters over the next decade. Included are 5 examples here; three from Spanish Town Cathedral and one each from Kingston Parish Church and St James's Church Montego Bay. 

https://victorianweb.org/sculpture/baconsenior/jamaica.htm

List of John Bacon’s Jamaican works (from Roscoe)

Roscoe Number.    

47.   John Wolmer (†1729),  Funerary Monument . 1789.  St. Thomas, Kingston, Jamaica.

49.    George McFarquhar (†1786).   Funerary Monument. 1791, St. James, Montego Bay, Jamaica

56.   Dr Fortunatus Dwarris (†1790) and his niece, Anne Neufville (†1782).   Funerary Monument      1792                Kingston, Jamaica

72.  Malcolm (†1781) and Eleanor Laing (†1747). Funerary Monument . 1794.    St. Thomas, Kingston, Jamaica

74.   Rosa Palmer (†1790). Funerary Monument. 1794.     St. James, Montego Bay, Jamaica

82.  E Prince. Funerary Monument.      1795.     Port Antonio. Jamaica, WI

96.  Thomas, 4th Earl and Catherine, Countess of Effingham (both †1791).  Funerary Monument      1796                Spanish Town Cathedral, Jamaica.

105. Anne Williamson (†1794). Funerary Monument.      1798.     Spanish Town Cathedral, Jamaica.

108. Richard Batty (†1796).    Funerary Monument.     1798.     Spanish Town Cathedral, Jamaica.

110. Francis Rigby Brodbelt (†1795)  Funerary Monument. 1799.  Spanish Town Cathedral, Jamaica.

112.  Mary Carr (†1798).  Funerary Monument ?  1799. Kingston Cathedral, Jamaica.

150.  Admiral Lord Rodney.      Statue   1786-1790.  Spanish Town, Jamaica.

The Two Busts on the Monuments in the Chancel at St Mary's Church, Sundridge, Kent.

 

This post is part of ongoing researches into the life and Works of Anne Seymour Damer (1748 - 1828).

Notes on the two busts of Caroline Campbell by Mrs Damer and the bust of Maria Bellenden.

see -

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2024/12/anne-seymour-damer-some-portraits.html

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2024/12/anne-seymour-damer-and-her-sculptures.html

Caroline Campbell, Countess of Aylesbury (1721 - 1803)

The Mother of Mrs Damer.

The Marble Busts carved by Anne Seymour Damer. 1789 and 1808.

The bust dated 1789 with London Dealers Libson Yarker and the bust of 1808 on the Monument in the Chancel at St Mary's Church Sundridge, Kent.

Caroline Campbell was the Daughter of John, 4th Duke of Argyll and widow of Charles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury.

Lady Ailesbury's only child from her first marriage to Charles Bruce, Lady Mary Bruce (1740-1796), married Charles Lennox, third Duke of Richmond.  In 1747, Lady Ailesbury married the Hon. Henry Seymour Conway.

The Libson Yarker Bust.

Inscribed: On the front of the socle:

‘CAROLINA •/ CAMPBELL •/ ARGATHELLAE •/ DUCIS • FILIA •’

On the left-hand side of the socle:

‘ANNA •/ SEYMOUR • DAMER •/ FECIT •’

On the back of the bust:

‘ANNA/ ΣΕΙΜΟΡΙΣ/ ΔΑΜΕΡ/ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ/ ΦΙΛΗ ΜΗΤΗΡ/ ΑΥΤΗΣ’

Provenance.

Bequeathed by the artist to her cousin Lady Louisa Johnston;

Captain Frederick Campbell-Johnston (1812-1896), son of the above;

By inheritance in the Campbell-Johnston family;

Campbell-Johnson sale, Sotheby’s London, 8th December, 2006, lot.142;

Private collection Kagan, New York to 2022;

Previously on Exhibition at Metropolitan Museum, New York until 2021.

with London Dealers - Libson Yarker, 2022.

https://www.libson-yarker.com/recent-sales/caroline-campbell-lady-ailesbury

https://londonartweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12/Lowell-Libson-Jonny-Yarker-Ltd-Damer-A-S-Lady-Caroline-Campbell.pdf

They say -

Mrs Damer, portrays her mother, Caroline Campbell. The bust's dual signatures in Latin and Greek reflect Damer’s erudite connection with the classical tradition. Damer’s personal dedication of the work to her, "friend and mother" is inscribed solely at the back. 

Damer kept this bust throughout her life. She carved another version for her mother’s tomb in Saint Mary’s Church, Sundridge, Kent, where Damer is buried. She was daughter of Marshal Conway.

This veiled figure was intended to be viewed from below, it may well have been specifically designed for her mother’s tomb at St Mary’s, Sundridge in Kent. 

Lady Ailesbury had been born at Coombe Bank in Sundridge, which belonged successively to her father and brother, Lord Frederick Campbell. 

Damer made a second version of the bust which was eventually set-up in the chancel at St Mary’s, Sundridge.

https://londonartweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12/Lowell-Libson-Jonny-Yarker-Ltd-Damer-A-S-Lady-Caroline-Campbell.pdf

Damers mother was born in 1721, Caroline Campbell was the daughter of Colonel John Campbell of Mamore, later fourth Duke of Argyll.  

Her godmother was Caroline, Princess of Wales, afterwards Queen-Consort to George II, for whom her mother, the beautiful Mary Bellenden had been maid-of-honour.  In 1739, at the time of her first marriage to Charles Bruce, third earl of Ailesbury, nearly 40 years her senior, Lady Ailesbury was described as ‘very pretty, well behaved, and just eighteen, has £2000 a year jointure and £400 pin money’.

The most vivid accounts of Lady Ailesbury come from Horace Walpole: ‘Her face and person were charming, lively she was, almost to étourderie, and so agreeable she was that I never heard her mentioned afterwards by one of her contemporaries who did not prefer her as the most perfect creature they ever saw.’ 

Lady Ailesbury was well-read, being particularly interested in Rousseau, for whom she secured a pension of £100 a year. Amongst her close circle were the historian, David Hume, the writers Gray, Thomson and Shenstone and the painters Reynolds and Angelica Kauffmann. 

Lady Ailesbury was herself celebrated for the remarkable copies after old masters she rendered in embroidery.

.......................

Caroline Campbell. Countess of Ailesbury, from the original bust in marble executed by her daughter.

Engraved: by John Jones.

1789.

https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/16729808

 

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The Sundridge Church Bust of Caroline Campbell.

Anne Seymour Damer was buried at Sundridge.

Image of a drawing in Yale University Library.

https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/16704452

Unsigned; the artist unidentified.

Date of production based on watermark: A. Blackwell & G. Jones 1802.

Mounted on page 25 in Anne Damer's extra-illustrated copy of: Walpole, H. A description of the villa of Mr. Horace Walpole ... Strawberry Hill : Printed by Thomas Kirgate, MDCCLXXXIV [1784]. See Hazen, A.T. Bibliography of the Strawberry Hill Press (1973 ed.), no. 30, copy 33.

Provenance

Given by Mrs. Anne Damer to Sir Wathen Waller. Later owned by John Hely-Hutchinson, with his bookplate on verso of first flyleaf of volume. Sold Sotheby's, 14 March 1956 (Hely-Hutchinson Sale), lot 584, to Maggs for W.S. Lewis.

Extent

1 drawing : sheet 36.5 x 23 cm (folded to 29.2 x 23 cm), mounted to 29.4 x 23 cm

The chancel at Sundridge was remodelled in 1808 by John Carter and the north and south lancets, and their associated monuments inside date from this time.

A View of The Chancel of the Church at St Mary's Sundridge, Kent

George Perfect Harding, (1780-1853), signed and dated by the artist in lower right corner.

1806.

A view of the chancel with the altar at centre beneath a large stained-glass, Gothic window and monuments to the left and right of the altar beyond the altar rail. 

Visible in an alcove on the right is the bust of Lady Ailesbury, made by her daughter Anne Seymour Damer.

Mounted on page 15 in Anne Damer's extra-illustrated copy of: Walpole, H. A description of the villa of Mr. Horace Walpole ... Strawberry Hill : Printed by Thomas Kirgate, MDCCLXXXIV [1784]. See Hazen, A.T. Bibliography of the Strawberry Hill Press (1973 ed.), no. 30, copy 33.

Provenance

Given by Mrs. Anne Damer to Sir Wathen Waller. Later owned by John Hely-Hutchinson, with his bookplate on verso of first flyleaf of volume. Sold Sotheby's, 14 March 1956 (Hely-Hutchinson Sale), lot 584, to Maggs for W.S. Lewis.

Extent

1 drawing : image 16.3 x 17.4 cm, on sheet 18.8 x 19.8 cm, mounted to 29.4 x 22.9 cm.

https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/16704450

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The Conway Library of the Courtauld Gallery Photographs.

Taken by Rupert Gunnis.

The bust of Caroline Conway at St Mary's Sundridge.

Inscribed on the back 1808.

..........................................

The Bust of  Maria Bellenden.

Presumably The Hon. Maria Bellenden (b. 1 August 1729, d. 15 May 1805).

St Mary's Church, Sundridge Church, Kent.

In the past this bust has been ascribed erroneously to Mrs Damer.

The Bust of Alexander Small on the Monument in the Church at Clifton Reynes, Bucks

Alexander Small.

A mysterious terracotta bust on the Monument at Clifton Reynes.

Inscribed by James Andrews of Olney, Bucks.

Rupert Gunnis stated that the Parish Record say the bust is by Scheemakers.

This needs to be checked! 

The bust is possibly by Roubiliac but has also been attributed to Scheemakers:

See - Malcolm Baker, 'The Making of Portrait busts in the Mid-eighteenth century', The Burlington magazine, December 1995, 137, p. 830).

see note 44, 

https://staging.burlington.org.uk/media/_file/generic/886825.pdf

 

In this article  Malcolm Baker suggests that the bust has similar drapery to other Roubiliac busts.

The busts of Jonathan Tyers, George Streatfield and John Ray - The folds of the drapery beneath the jacket collar certainly look similar.

There are several other examples of the duplication of the clothing on Roubiliac busts, such as the bust of Plato at Trinity College Dublin and various busts of Alexander Pope, 

The bronzed plaster bust of Nicholas Hawksmoor c. 1735/6 in the Buttery at All Souls College, Oxford (a plaster bust is at Christchurch Spitalfields) and the marble bust of William Wither d. 1733 at Wooten St Lawrence, Hampshire and the Winnington Monument - 

 Malcolm Baker suggests that the similarities of  the Clifton Reynes and the busts of Streatfield, Tyers and Ray, and Wootton St Lawrence monuments along with the busts at Trinity College indicate a close working relationship between Roubiliac and Scheemakers in the mid 1730's - I will return to the subject in due course.

I think that there was some collaboration between Roubiliac and Scheemakers at Trinity Library Dublin but the involvement of John van Nost III should also not be ruled out.

It has been suggested that this is because Roubiliac used the same basic moulds for the bodies and draperies of these busts where the clay is pressed into the mould taken from a prototype clay model, and the head modelled and applied separately - currently I am dubious - it is equally possible is that he used some sort of pointing machine.

 see my website post -

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2015/07/jonathan-tyers-and-his-bust-by-roubiliac.html

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Alexander Small. 1670 - 1752).

Mezzotint.

John Faber, Jr. (British, born Holland, c. 1695 - 1756)

after Bartholomew Dandridge (British, 1691 - c. 1755)

Image below from the Wellcome Library website.

 

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The Streatfield Bust of 1739.

Streatfield Mausoleum.

Chiddingfold, Kent

Photograph Taken by the Author.

The Bust of Jonathan Tyers.

Roubiliac.

Image courtesy  V and A.

........................

John Ray.

Roubiliac.

Terracotta.

British Museum.

Photograph by the Author.

The Shirburn Castle Plaster Busts purchased in 1722.

 

The 35 'casts in jess' acquired by Thomas, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, described in a letter written by Lord Parker in Florence in January 1722.

The photographs here from Christie's on line catalogue.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618961

This page has a very good essay on the acquisition of the Shirburn Castle Plaster Busts in Florence.

It is not clear when they received the coat of grey paint 

Thence by descent at Shirburn Castle until sold at Christie's -  I Dec 2005.

Lot 50 -

Three Grey Painted Plaster busts of the infants Nero Marcus Aurelius and Geta.

ATTRIBUTED TO THE FLORENTINE GRAND DUCAL WORKSHOPS, AFTER THE ANTIQUE, CIRCA 1722

Each on an integrally cast shaped rectangular socle, two with paper labels to the reverse; representing the infant Nero with label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 27. (case 77)', the young Marcus Aurelius with label to the reverse 'no. 26 (case 74)' and Geta; surface dirt, minor chips and damages

19 to 20¼ in. (48.2 to 51.5 cm.) high, overall (3)

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Lot 51. Grey Painted Bust of Apollo.

Depicted facing slightly to dexter; above an integrally cast cartouche and circular socle; with paper label to the front inscribed 'Appollo'

[sic] and a paper label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 15.'; surface dirt, minor chips and damages

27½ in. (70 cm.) high, overall.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618962

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Lot 53 - Grey Painted Bust of The Dying Alexander.

The reverse with paper label inscribed 'no. 34.'; surface dirt, minor damages

26½ in. (67.3 cm.) high, overall

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618964

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Lot 54. Grey Painted Bust of Bacchus after Michelangelo.

With paper label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 6.'; surface dirt, minor chips

19 in. (48.3 cm.) high, overall.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618965

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Lot 55 - A Pair of Plaster Busts of Young Emperors.

Each on an integrally cast moulded rectangular plinth, with paper labels to the front and reverse, one with label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 17'; surface dirt, minor chips and damages, restoration

22¾ in. (57.8 cm) high, overall.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618966

.................

Lot 56 - Four Grey Painted Plaster Female Busts.

Each on an integrally cast shaped rectangular socle, two with paper labels to the reverse; representing Sta Susanna, Diana (?) with paper label inscribed 'no. 11 (case 21)', Faustina Major with lable 'no. 16.' and Faustina Minor; surface dirt, minor chips and damages.

18½ to 22¾ in. (47 to 57.8 cm.) high, overall. 

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618967

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Lot 65. Three Grey Painted Plaster Busts.

Each on an integrally cast shaped rectangular socle, two with paper labels to the front and reverse; representing the Dancing Faun, Venus de'Medici with label to the front inscribed 'Venus de Medicis' and label to the reverse 'no 1.', the Young Mercury with label to the front 'Mercury' and label to the reverse 'no. 32 (case 82.)'; surface dirt, minor chips and damages

17½ to 18¾ in. (44.4 to 47.6 cm.) high, overall.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618976

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Lot 66 A Grey Painted Plaster Bust of Costanza Bonarelli.

After Bernini.

with paper label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 22.'; surface dirt, minor chips

25½ in. (65 cm.) high, overall) (4)

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618977

..........................

Lot 67 - 5 Grey Painted Plaster Busts.

Four on integrally cast circular socles and one on an integrally cast shaped rectangular socle; each with paper label to the reverse and one with a paper label to the front; representing Marcus Aurelius with label to the front and label to the reverse 'no. 19. (case 36)', Vespasian with label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 21', the Dying Alexander with label to the reverse 'no. 26.', Titus with lable to the reverse 'no. 20. (case 43) and Augustus with label to the reverse 'no. 25.'; surface dirt, minor chips and damages; repairs to Augustus

19 3/8 to 26¾ in. (49.2 to 68 cm.) high, overall.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618978

...........................

Lot 68 A Grey Painted Plaster Bust of Gita.

on an integrally cast moulded rectangular plinth, with paper label to the front indistinctly inscribed 'Young Augustus' and paper label to the reverse inscribed 'no. 8';

23 in. (58.5 cm) high, overall.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4618979

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Macclesfield by Rysbrack Plaster Bust

Is this a bust of  Sir Thomas Parker, The First  Earl of Macclesfield (1697 - 1764).

by Michael Rysbrack?

A Bust of Macclesfield was modelled by J. M. Rysbrack (see - George Vertue, Notebooks, Wal. Soc., XXII, 1934, p 56, in 1732), a marble version not then known. 

A cast, bare-headed with drapery round shoulders, in the Shirburn Library sale, Christie’s, 1 December 2005, lot 71. (images below).

The images below have been lifted from the article in the Georgian Group Journal. Vol XVII 2009 pages 19 - 40. by David Wilson entitled A Very Early Portrait by Michael Rysbrack

I have attempted but have not been able to contact David Wilson.

 https://georgiangroup.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GGJ_2009_02_WILSON.pdf

I have recently found myself looking at the various forms of Socles used by some English Sculptors in the 18th Century.

This has evolved from research into a very fine marble portrait bust of a young lady on a turned socle with what can best be described as an eared support below the bust now believed to be an unrecorded bust the bluestocking and sculptor Anne Seymour Damer by Joseph Nollekens. (below).

The eared support and turned socle are very close to the so called bust of Macclesfield, which appears to have first been used in England after Nollekens return from Rome in 1770 where he had been since 1761 - for at least some of his time in Rome was spent restoring antiques and working on portraits for Cavaceppi at his workshops/ studios on the Corso.

................

Anne Seymour Damer attributed to Nollekens, 1780's.

Nollekens used a socle unique to him butt based on the form used by the Roman sculptor and restorer Bartolomeo Cavaceppi. which in turn was adapted from antique precedents.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-very-fine-marble-bust-of-lady-here.html

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-portraits-of-anne-seymour-damer.html

For The Nollekens Socle with the Eared support to the bust see -

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2024/11/some-earlier-nollekens-busts.html

.............................

The Bartolomeo Cavaceppi Type Socle.

Catharina Maria Møsting (1714-1770). Gräfin /Countess Schulin.

 Bartolomeo Cavaceppi (1719 - 99).

 Life Size Marble Bust.

 1768.

 Schloss Frederiksborg, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Image courtesy Johnny Tomasso.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-remarkable-bust-by-cavaceppi-in.html

for more on the socles of Cavaceppi's busts see -

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2024/11/cavaceppi-and-eared-socle.html

There are numerous examples of ancient bust which were restored in Cavaceppi's very large atelier on the Corso in Rome.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2024/11/cavaceppi-and-eared-socle.html

..................................

Some time later I revived ongoing researches into a a very fine copy of Anima Dannata proposed as by Joseph Wilton by Offered by Christie's 7 December 2023.

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6458288

I now consider to be have been sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac, given the evidence of the Roubiliac type socle. This socle is (almost) unique to the busts of Roubiliac. There is a marble bust of Lord Chesterfield of 1757 by Joseph Wilton in the British Museum which has a similar socle with a bronze plaque on the front.

It is quite possible that the carving of the socles were either made in the workshop or carved by sub contractors.

For a close look at the Roubiliac Type Socle see -

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025/03/louis-francois-roubiliac-joseph-wilton.html

In July 1752, Roubiliac travelled with the portrait painter Thomas Hudsons to Rome, where he is said perhaps to have exclaimed that the sculpture of Bernini made his own look ‘meagre and starved, as if made of nothing but tobacco pipes’.

............................

The Putative Plaster Bust of  Sir Thomas Parker 

The First Earl of Macclesfield (1697 - 1764).

If this is the bust mentioned by George Vertue in 1724 (and I suspect that it isn't) Macclesfield would have been aged 27.

I suspect that this is a much later cast (1770's - 1780's) of an as yet unidentified bust by Nollekens.

In the post below I look at the Nollekens type socle used frequently but not exclusively until the 1790's.

The Nollekens socles had eared supports with a slightly convex panel.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2024/11/some-earlier-nollekens-busts.html