The Coade Stone Polyphemus from the grotto by the lake at Fonthill.
Originally displayed in the Coade Gallery at the Manufactory in Narrow Wall, Lambeth.
The Knees of Polyphemus are shown in the Water colour drawing by Charles Tompkins. Signed and dated 1801.
35 in. (89 cm.) high; 26 in. (66 cm.) deep.
Christie's say modelled by Stephen Pettifer but it appears to me to be the original leg!
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5694138?ldp_breadcrumb=back
sold at The Dunsborough Park sale.
see - Fonthill Recovered... Professor Caroline Dakers pub. UCL 2018 available on line -
https://www.ucldigitalpress.co.uk/Book/Article/68/92/5083/
It appears in the 1799 catalogue where it was to form the ‘coup de theatre’ at the new Coade Gallery by Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth with a fulsome description in the visitor’s guidebook of 1799 - but if the signed and dated watercolour by Tompkins is to be believed it was still in the Narrow Walls premises in 1801.
"this stupendous design is conceived at the moment when Polyphemus discovers, from the summit of the rock, the nymph Galatea with his rival Acis, upon whom, in his fury, he hurls a fragment of stone, and kills him. This work occupies a space of 20 feet in height by 12 ft in width, the Polyphemus is a statue of 10 ft. 6 ins, a cave is formed in the rock, at the entrance of it lays the Acis and Galatea, much larger than life".
The figure was perhaps designed by John de Vaere (d. 1830) possibly in circa 1798-99 when de Vaere was active with the Coade manufactory. It was not mentioned in the Coade catalogues of 1784. In 1799 John Bacon died, he had been the chief designer and supervisor of the firm from 1771 and a close associate until his death.
Bacon was replaced by de Vaere who is cited in the new guidebook, '[de Vaere] is now constantly engaged at the Manufactory in its various branches of statuary &tc.’ (Coade’s Gallery, 1799)
In 1787 de Vaere had been employed by Josiah Wedgwood to make models from the Antique under the supervision of the sculptor, John Flaxman, R.A. (d. 1826), an experience which would have ably equipped him for the role at Coade.
Extract from the Somerset House Gazette 1824.
The reference to Acis and Galatea and Polyphemus.
These statues were sold to JB Papworth for James Morrison and erected at the Fonthill Estate in Wiltshire after 1843.
Acquired from the Rushworth & Jarvis auction of the stock of the Coade Artifcial Stone Manufactory, Lambeth on 23 July 1843, by architect J.B. Papworth, (d. 1847) on behalf of James Morrison (d. 1859), for 16 guineas and subsequently removed to The Pavillion, Fonthill Estate, Wiltshire, and thence by descent from James Morrison to his great, great, great grandson.
Alastair Morrison, 3rd Baron Margadale, from whom along with a small group of Acis and Galatea acquired by Talisman Antiques of Gillingham.
In their wisdom the smaller group of Acis and Galatea were sold separately! When I learn't of its existance I contacted Talisman with the history of the figures somehow my input was never recognised - but I'm not bitter!
It is possible that the missing vandalised fragments are still in the lake at Fonthill - the head of Poyphemus would be a fantastic discovery.
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5838449
"On 20 July 1843, J.B. Papworth, architect and designer to James Morrison ('the richest commoner in England’), advised him of several lots in a sale of the stock of the Coade Artifical Stone Manufactory that was to begin the following day, 21 July 1843, by Rushworth & Jarvis, and of the suitability of ' Polyphemus Acis and Galatea’ for the Pavilion at Fonthill, Morrison’s preferred summer retreat.
'At Coade’s in the Belvedere Road there are works that would suit your objects – some for indoor and some out. ... The Polyphemus Acis and Galatea in the third days sale – this will probably be sold for a small sum – for its taking down removing & repair will be a considerable draw back to biddings for it – The Giant would certainly perform well over the covered way at the Landing, Fonthill & the Acis & Galataea [sic] in the Cavern of the Rookery".
Quote below from Christies Catalogue entry -
-The cluster of grottos located around the serpentine lake or 'river’ in the grounds of the Pavilion had been commissioned by Alderman Beckford in circa 1749; the grottos had excited the imagination and works of his son, William, but by Morrison’s tenure were virtually in ruins (T. Mowl, 'Inside Beckford’s Landscape of the Mind’, Country Life, 7 February 2002, p. 60).
Papworth created a grand landing stage on the east side of the lake that led to the first of three grottos, which is presumably the landing refered to by Papworth in his letter to Morrison of 20 July 1843. Interestingly, the architectural historian, Timothy Mowl, describes what may be the present figure, and another figure, probably Galatea, on a visit he made to the grottos in the late 20th century, 'Relics of some abandoned garden project by the Alderman, half-finished stone statues, a naked god and a broken nymph they lie there in the dark’ (op. cit., p. 62).
Catalogue of the surplus and splendid collection of sculpture, in Coade's imperishable stone, comprising a magnificent colossal group of Polypheme with Acis & Galatea, Apollo Belvidere, Gladiators, Venus, ... and a great variety of other works; also about thirty excellent marble chimney pieces, ... which will be sold by auction, by Mr. W.R. Croggon, on the premises, Palace Row, New Road, opposite to Tottenham Court Road, on Wednesday, July 30, 1834, and following day, at twelve o'clock, by order of the proprietors, who, in consequence of the above premises being disposed of, are removing to their Manufactory Belvidere Road. Lambeth.
The closest I can find for the original source for the design of this group is the engraving of the painting by Pompeo Batoni of 1761.
and the subsequent engraving.
National Museum of Stockholm.
Sold 23 May 1780, Lot 43 by AJ Paillet and subsequently in 1868 Druot
The engraving below shows that the original by Batoni was with Jacques-Laure Le Tonnelier (1723–1785), Bailli de Breteuil, who was the Knights of Malta’s ambassador to the Holy See in Rome from 1758 and, subsequently, to the French court from 1778.
It is conceivable that the original composition came from the original painting by Pompeo Batoni. The closest I can find to a source for the design of this group is the painting by Pompeo Batoni of 1761.and the subsequent engraving.
National Museum of Stockholm.
Sold 23 May 1780, Lot 43 by AJ Paillet and subsequently in 1868 Druot in Paris.
The engraving below shows that the original by Batoni was with Jacques-Laure Le Tonnelier (1723–1785), Bailli de Breteuil, who was the Knights of Malta’s ambassador to the Holy See in Rome from 1758 and, subsequently, to the French court from 1778.
A Preparatory Drawing? is in Museu Nacional del Belas Artes. Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
The painting by Batoni in turn appears to be derived from Annibale Carracci's frescoes of Polyphemus, located in the Galleria Farnese in Rome (painted between 1597 and 1607).
A 19th Century Danish terracotta of Polyphemus.
Biscuit porcelain tinted in imitation of red terracotta.
Marked "P. Ipsen, Kjøbenhavn. Eneret" and number "406" (?).
Height: 47 cm. Width: 11 cm.
Produced by the P. Ipsens Enke factory founded in Copenhagen, Denmark by Peter Ipsen (d.1860) in 1843.
The factory enjoys international success with its reproductions of the great models of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture.
The company won awards at international exhibitions and opens boutiques in its name in Paris and London at 110 New Bond St.
For the very comprehensive Ipsen Catalogue of 1886 in German see -
https://www.kb.dk/e-mat/cop/pamphlets/dasmaa//pamphlets-dasmaa-2012-jul-smaatryk-object64287.pdf
This statuette was almost certainly based on the Coade original sold at auction in 1843 and gives us some idea of how the 10 tall statue originally appeared.
The lack of the third eyeball but the appearance of the eye socket in the middle of the forehead is interesting.
Who knows - it might be possible to have the missing pieces modelled and united with the torso!
see -
Fonthill Recovered... Caroline Dakers.
https://www.ucldigitalpress.co.uk/Book/Article/68/92/5083/
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The Tiger is illustrated in the book of Coade's etchings which correspond to those listed in the 1784 Descriptive Catalogue of Coade's Artificial Stone Manufactory, Section I, Statues, p.4, No.59, Tiger, £8/8/0d.
Alison Kelly, discusses a Tiger and its Companion in Tehidy Park, Cornwall which have since disappeared.
According to Mrs Coade in her Gallery handbook, the Tiger, sitting up like a cat, was modelled from life by John Bacon, the Coade Manufactory's principle modeller and designer. The model cost 8 guineas and sat about 3ft 6ins high..
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