Hamilton, Lady Belhaven and Stenton thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Hamilton, Lady Belhaven and Stenton

Bust
1827 (made)
Artist/Maker
Joseph, Samuel (sculptor)
Place of origin
Edinburgh (made)

Hamilton Campbell (about 1790-1873) became Lady Belhaven and Stenton through her marriage in 1815 to Sir Robert Montgomery Hamilton, 8th Lord Belhaven and Stenton. A marble bust of her husband by Joseph is also in the Museum's collection (inv.no. A.67-1965). Samuel Joseph (1791-1850) was one of the founding members of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1826, and exhibited there from 1827 until 1844. He worked in London as well as Edinburgh. He specialised in portrait busts, but also executed funerary monuments, such as the one to William Wilberforce in Westminster Abbey. However, he never achieved the recognition or commissions he arguably deserved, and died almost penniless.

Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Portraits
Scotland
Object type
Bust
TitleHamilton, Lady Belhaven and Stenton (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Marble
Marble
Brief description
Bust, marble, of Hamilton, Lady Belhaven and Stenton, by Samuel Joseph, English (made in Edinburgh), 1827
Physical description
Marble, bust. The subject looks downwards, with half closed eyes and slightly to her right. Her hair is elaborately dressed in curls and ringlets and in a plaited band across the crown of her head. Signed and dated.
Dimensions
  • Height: 61.5cm
  • Height: 70cm (incl. socle)
Marks and inscriptions
'S.JOSEPH Sculpt./EDINr.1827' (at the back)
Gallery label
(2021)
Samuel Joseph (1791–1850)
Bust of Lady Hamilton Belhaven and Stenton (about 1790–1873)
Signed and dated 1827

The British sculptor Joseph was a founding member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1826. Specialising mainly in portraits, he exhibited for many years, but never achieved great recognition or commissions and died almost penniless. Here, he depicted Lady Belhaven and Stenton (née Hamilton Campbell) with a soft expression and her hair styled in the fashion of her time.

Edinburgh
Marble
Credit line
Given by Rupert Gunnis Esq, Hungershall Lodge, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Object history
Bequeathed by Rupert Gunnis, Esq, Hungershall Lodge, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1965.
Subjects depicted
Bust
Hamilton
Summary
Hamilton Campbell (about 1790-1873) became Lady Belhaven and Stenton through her marriage in 1815 to Sir Robert Montgomery Hamilton, 8th Lord Belhaven and Stenton. A marble bust of her husband by Joseph is also in the Museum's collection (inv.no. A.67-1965). Samuel Joseph (1791-1850) was one of the founding members of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1826, and exhibited there from 1827 until 1844. He worked in London as well as Edinburgh. He specialised in portrait busts, but also executed funerary monuments, such as the one to William Wilberforce in Westminster Abbey. However, he never achieved the recognition or commissions he arguably deserved, and died almost penniless.
Associated object
A.67-1965 (Pair)
Bibliographic references
  • Knox, T., 'Portrait of a Collector: Rupert Gunnis at Hungershall Lodge and his Bequest to the Victoria and Albert Museum', in: Sculpture Journal, II, 1998, p. 88, fig. 4
  • Bilbey, Diane and Trusted, Marjorie. British Sculpture 1470-2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002, p. 311, cat.no. 476
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.68-1965

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Record createdAugust 14, 2006
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O127055/hamilton-lady-belhaven-and-stenton-bust-joseph-samuel/
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