This design made in about 1787 by Joseph Nollekens (1737-1823) is for the wall monument commemorating Mary, Countess of Talbot. A woman is shown leaning on a portrait medallion of the Countess that is resting on a sarcophagus or a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The marble wall monument is in Great Barrington Church, Gloucestershire. Nollekens is best known as the leading portrait sculptor in Britain between 1770 and 1815. With his fellow Royal Academicians Thomas Banks and John Flaxman he established the British School of sculpture following decades of dependence on immigrant sculptors (such as Rysbrack, Scheemakers and Roubiliac). Flaxman praised Nollekens as the only sculptor before Banks who had "formed his taste on the antique and introduced a purer style of art". Opportunities to study the antique were plentiful whilst Nollekens lived for eight years from 1762-1770 in Rome. As a draughtsman he was exceptionally well trained for his day.
Physical description
Design depicting a woman leaning on a portrait medallion of the deceased resting on a tablet supported by plain brackets. There is a faint scale up the right side.
Place of Origin
London (possibly, made)
Date
ca. 1787 (made)
Artist/maker
Nollekens, Joseph Frans, born 1737 - died 1823 (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Chalk and pencil on laid paper
Marks and inscriptions
'25/11/70 Sotherby [sic] lot 117 / Nollekens / Design for Monument of Mary, Countess Talbot / at Great Barrington Church / Gloucestershire / Countess d. 1787'
In pencil inside mount at bottom
'80.6.211'
In pencil inside mount at bottom right
Dimensions
Height: 23.3 cm, Width: 18.6 cm
Object history note
'Mary, only daughter of Adam de Cardonnel of Bedhampton Park, Southampton, married in 1734 William, 2nd Baron and 1st Earl Talbot, and died in 1787 aged 68. The monument, erected in Great Barrington Church, Gloucestershire, was erected with slight differences from no.13 [now E.469-2010]. the V&A drawing shows a later stage in the design. The figure was carried out in relief.'
From: Kenworthy-Browne, John. Catalogue of Nollekens Drawings. The Property of Dr Arthur Sackler (unpublished typescript), no.13.
Historical significance: 'Nollekens is best known as the leading portrait sculptor in Britain between 1770 and 1815, and as the subject of the biography Nollekens and his Times (1828) by J.T. Smith. With his fellow Royal Academicians Thomas Banks and John Flaxman he established the British School of sculpture following decades of dependence on immigrant sculptors (such as Rysbrack, Scheemakers and Roubiliac). Flaxman praised Nollekens as the only sculptor before Banks who had "formed his taste on the antique and introduced a purer style of art". As a draughtsman he was exceptionally well trained for his day. He is also noted as a collector; he owned the three wax reliefs by Giambologna now in the V&A. The V&A's collection includes three busts by Nollekens, five of his terracottas, his marble copy after the antique, Castor and Pollux (1767)and his original marble of Diana (1778).'
Julius Bryant on RF 2010/245.
Historical context note
In the ca. 2009 edition of Gunnis's Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, design is identified as 'Sackler priv. col.'
Descriptive line
Design for sculpture by Joseph Nollekens, ca. 1787.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Roscoe, Ingrid, Hardy, Emma, Sullivan, M. G. A biographical dictionary of sculptors in England, 1660-1851. New Haven [Conn.]; London: Yale University Press, c.2009. pp.896-911.
Materials
Chalk; Laid paper; Pencil
Techniques
Drawing
Subjects depicted
Sepulchral monuments; Sarcophagus
Categories
Sculpture; Designs; Death
Production Type
Design
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
