Design for sculpture by Joseph Nollekens, 1782-1790.

Design depicting a man in a robe with cravat standing beside a pedestal surmounted by two genii with a theatrical mask.

'The monument to James Noel, Viscount Campden, was attributed by Mrs Esdaile to William Stanton (1639-1705). (See N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Leicestershire and Rutland, 1960, p.297). No.36 is interesting as a drawing by Nollekens of a baroque English work, and it indicates that Nollekens would visit country churches that were to hold his monuments, either to see their location, or to supervise their erection. There are two major monuments by Nollekens at Exton church: that to General Bennett Noel (see nos. 17 verso and 18), dated 1787, and that to the 4th Earl of Gainsborough on the south chancel wall, dated 1790. No.36 may be dated circa 1782-90.'

From: Kenworthy-Browne, John. Catalogue of Nollekens Drawings. The Property of Dr Arthur Sackler (unpublished typescript), no.36 (80.7.36).

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.

In the ca. 2009 edition of Gunnis's Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, design is identified as 'Sackler priv. col.'

This design made in the 1779 by Joseph Nollekens (1737-1823) depicts the actor, David Garrick, (1717-1779) in a cloak, with a cravat, standing beside a pedestal surmounted with two genii or guardian spirits in Roman mythology. The cloak and mask are theatrical accoutrements appropriate to this famous actor. The design is for a wall monument commemorating him. 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.

E.463-2010