A Study for the Monument of Oliver Goldsmith in Westminster Abbey
Design
1774 (made)
1774 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This design made in 1774 by Joseph Nollekens (1737-1823) depicts the profile of the Irish-born author and playwright, Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774). His portrait is resting on a sarcophagus, a coffin made of stone, on which there are masks of tragedy and comedy befitting to his life's work and a trumpet symbolising fame. 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.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | A Study for the Monument of Oliver Goldsmith in Westminster Abbey (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Pen and brown ink over traces of black chalk on laid paper |
Brief description | Design for sculpture by Joseph Nollekens, 1774. |
Physical description | Design depicting the portrait of a man in profile contained in a roundel of laurel leaves resting on a sarcophagus on which there are masks. There is a pencil sketch on the verso. |
Dimensions |
|
Production type | Design |
Marks and inscriptions |
|
Object history | 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 | In the ca. 2009 edition of Gunnis's Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, design is identified as 'Sackler priv. col.' |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This design made in 1774 by Joseph Nollekens (1737-1823) depicts the profile of the Irish-born author and playwright, Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774). His portrait is resting on a sarcophagus, a coffin made of stone, on which there are masks of tragedy and comedy befitting to his life's work and a trumpet symbolising fame. 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. |
Associated object | E.4406-1920 (Version) |
Bibliographic reference | 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. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.460:1-2010 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | August 23, 2010 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest