Unknown man, possibly Dr Edward Archer
Bust
1781 (made)
1781 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The dress of the sitter, with the soft cap and loose cravat, suggests he is a professional man, rather than an aristocrat. He may be Dr Edward Archer (1717-1789), an eminent physician who specialised in the treatment of smallpox.
Joseph Wilton was born in London, but trained in the Netherlands, France and Italy from 1744 to 1755. His understanding of antique sculpture, derived from his study of ancient Roman sculpture in Italy, is evident in many of his works. He was appointed Statuary to His Majesty George III in 1761, and in 1768 became a founder member of the Royal Academy. However in the same year he inherited a large legacy from his father and neglected sculpture thereafter; he went bankrupt in 1793.
Joseph Wilton was born in London, but trained in the Netherlands, France and Italy from 1744 to 1755. His understanding of antique sculpture, derived from his study of ancient Roman sculpture in Italy, is evident in many of his works. He was appointed Statuary to His Majesty George III in 1761, and in 1768 became a founder member of the Royal Academy. However in the same year he inherited a large legacy from his father and neglected sculpture thereafter; he went bankrupt in 1793.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Unknown man, possibly Dr Edward Archer (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Marble |
| Brief description | Bust, marble, Unknown man, possibly Dr Edward Archer, by Joseph Wilton, England, 1781 |
| Physical description | Bust, marble. The elderly sitter, who wears a turban-like cap with a tassle on the crown, a waistcoat showing four buttons, the top two undone, a loose cravat, under a turned down collar, and a draped cloak, looks slightly to his right. The base, which is oval on plan, has a blank rectangular cartouche in front. On the back is incised J. Wilton. Fecit 1781. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Joseph Wilton (1722–1803)
Bust of an unknown man, possibly Dr Edward Archer (1717–89)
Signed and dated 1781
The sitter’s soft cap and loose cravat suggests he is a professional man rather than an aristocrat. He may be Dr Edward Archer, an eminent physician who specialised in the treatment of smallpox and whose facial features are known from a painted portrait. Wilton was a renowned English sculptor who trained in Flanders (now Belgium), France and Italy. He was appointed sculptor to King George III in 1761.
London
Marble(2021) |
| Object history | Previously in the collection of W.H Du Cros, M.P, the bust was subsequently inherited by Roy Du Cros and later given by him to Madam Y. T. Foo. In the possession of the Heim Gallery, London, from whom the bust was purchased by the Museum in 1969 for £2,600. However the sale was nullified as it was later discovered that the bust had previously been stolen from the London residenceof Madam Foo, prior to its acquisition by the Heim Gallery. The bust was subsequently re-purchased by the Museum in 1972 for the original price from the legal owner, Madam Foo. The sum previously paid to the HeimGallery was recovered by the Museum. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The dress of the sitter, with the soft cap and loose cravat, suggests he is a professional man, rather than an aristocrat. He may be Dr Edward Archer (1717-1789), an eminent physician who specialised in the treatment of smallpox. Joseph Wilton was born in London, but trained in the Netherlands, France and Italy from 1744 to 1755. His understanding of antique sculpture, derived from his study of ancient Roman sculpture in Italy, is evident in many of his works. He was appointed Statuary to His Majesty George III in 1761, and in 1768 became a founder member of the Royal Academy. However in the same year he inherited a large legacy from his father and neglected sculpture thereafter; he went bankrupt in 1793. |
| Bibliographic reference | Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie. British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V& A Publications, 2002. pp. 164. cat. no. 221. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.160-1969 |
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| Record created | August 14, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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