Supplied in two tranches in 1755.
Details of the purchases are contained in Correspondence
between the Portuguese Ambassador in London Don Louis da Cuha Manuel and the
Foreign Secretary in Lisbon Sebasteao Jose de Carvalho e Melo (future Marquis
of Pombal).
Meleager and Atalanta (as Diana and Endymion at Wrest Park).
Vertumnus and Pomona.
23 statues of Mythological figures -
Neptune, Meleager, Mercury, Fame, Apollo, Diana, Bacchus,
Venus, Ceres and Flora.
A Gladiator and 4 Seasons,
4 Commedia dell' Arte figures, - (Pierrot, Harlequin,
Scaramouche and Columbine).
4 Picturesque figures - Shepherd and Shepherdess a man with
a flute and drum and a woman with a rake.
24 Vases.
Cost £290.5s. 2d including shipping - £340.18s. 6d.
The second lot of sculptures sent in 58 crates on the ship
Nossa Senhora do Socorro in September 1755.
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The speed with which these sculptures were ordered suggests
that John Cheere already had these objects in stock at his premises at Hyde
Park Corner..
Rape of Proserpine.
Aeneas Carrying his father Anchises.
Rape of the Sabine Women (another at Wrest Park).
David and Goliath
Cain and Abel actually Samson Slaying the Philistine from the Giambologa original then at Buckingham House.
Venus and Adonis (another at Wrest Park),
Bacchus and Ariadne.
Hercules.
Meleager.
Atalanta.
Justice.
Mars.
and Minerva.
4 Monkeys.
4 Lions.
4 Tigers.
2 Foxes a Harpy and an Eagle.
8 Boys to decorate the waterfalls.
48 Painted Bronze and gold vases.
For the restoration of this group see -
https://rupertharris.com/products/the-palace-of-queluz-aeneas-and-anchises
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Aeneas and Anchises.
Pierre le Pautre (1660 - 1744).
Marble, height 264 cm
The original in white marble was produced between 1697 and 1716 by Pierre Lepautre from a wax sketch entrusted to him by François Girardon in 1696.
Made during the artist's stay at the Académie de France in Rome from 1697, transported to France in 1715 to adorn the garden of the Château de Marly, the work now kept in the Louvre Museum,
Signed P. LE-PAUTRE FECIT, 1716, was completed with the help of Jacques Bousseau. (1681 - 1740).
A terracotta model in reduction of the original marble work is now kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
In the 18th century, Lepautre himself had kept a copy in his
workshop and Lalive de Jully, the famous introducer of Louis XV's ambassadors,
also had another.
....................
A statuette was produced by the John Cheere workshop -
see Gunnis entry for William Cheere.
"William Cheere d. 1767? appears to have been the son of John Cheere's first wife, Theodosia Maria, who died in 1767 ‘of a broken heart for the death of her father and only son’ (GM 1767, 280). He supplied sculpture to George Washington for Mount Vernon in response to Washington's order, which gave directions not only for the subject matter but also as to size, which was determined by his indented placement for these objects. Washington wrote: 'Directions for the Busts / 4--one of Alexr the Great--another of Julius Caesar-anr of Chs 12 Sweeden & a 4th of the King of Prussia. / N.B.--these are not to exceed 15 Inchs in highth nor 10 in width for brokn Pedimt. / 2 other Busts of Prince Eugene & the Duke of Marlborh-somewhat smallr. 2 Wild Beast-not to exceed 12 Inch in highth nor 18 in lenght. Sundry Small Ornaments for Chimy piece'.
In 1760 he received a shipment costing £12 11s 4d which
contained 'A Groupe of Aeneas carrying his Father out of Troy with 4 Statues
viz - his Father Anchises, his wife, Creusa, himself and his son Ascanius,
[neatly] finished and bronzed with Copper. /Two Groupes, with two Statues each
of Bachus & Flora finisht neat, & bronzd w' Coper £2.2 each / Two
Ornamented Vases with Faces & festoons of Grape & Vine Leaves &c
finished Neat & bronzd w' Coppr The above for ye Chimney Piece-/ Two Lyons
after the Antique Lyon's in Italy finished neat & bronzd with Copper £1.5
each. An invoice of William Cheere, dated March 1760 relates to these works.
The tradesman from whom the pieces were purchased sent directions as to how they were to be placed, adding to the above invoice the note: 'this is ye best Ornaments I could possibly make for the Chimney Piece', adding 'of all the wild Beasts as coud be made there is none thought better than the Lyons.' His instructions for displaying the other figures stated that 'the manner of placing them on ye Chimney piece shd be thus. A Group of Flora - Vase - Aeneas - Vase - Group of Bacchus'. He went on to add that: There is no Busts of Alexander ye Great [none at all of Charles 12th of Sweden] Jullius Caesar, King of Prussia, Prince Eugene nor Duke of Marlborough of the Size desired; and to make models would be very Expensive - at least 4 Guineas each.
but I can make Busts exactly to the Size wrote for [15 Inches] also very good
ones at the rate of 16s. Each of Homer, Virgil, Horace, Cicero, Plato,
Aristottle, Seneca, Galens, Vestall, Virgin Faustina, Chaucer, Spencer,
Johnson, Shakespear, Beaumont, Fletcher, Milton, Prior, Pope, Congreve, Swift,
Addison, Dryden, Locke, Newton'.
The figural groupings and vases were intended to ornament a
mantepiece, but the busts may have been for broken segmental overdoors or for
mounting on brackets.
John Davis
Literary References: Abbot 1988, 355; Vincent 1988, 169.
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Aeneas, carrying Anchises on his shoulders, and his wife and
son fleeing Troy.
Print made by: Agostino Carracci, After: Federico Barocci, Published by: Donato Rasciotti 1595.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_V-8-186
