Bust, marble, of William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester, England (Italian), attributed to Giovanni Battista Comolli, ca. 1820

Bust, marble. The sitter, whos is distinguished by his mutton-chop side whiskers and a vacuous expression, is swathed in a toga, caught by a circular clasp on the left shoulder. The edge of the toga is embroidered with a design showing ears of wheat. On a turned cirular base in marble, which terminates in a square slab.

Bequeathed by Rupert Gunnis, Esq.

Bequeathed by Rupert Gunnis, Esq., in 1965.

Another version, which is identitified as the second Duke of Gloucetser by an inscription on the pedestal, is in the collection of Captain Fortescue, Boconnoc, Cornwall. Together with busts, manifestly by the same sculptor and on identical pedestals, but all unsigned, of the Rt. Hon George Grenville, The Rt. Hon Thomas Grenville, Richard Grenville Marquess of Burckingham, Louis Grenville and William Wyndham Lord Grenville, it passed to Captain Fortescus by descent.

In the Stow sale catalogue of 1848 are listed, as in the Grenville drawing room, marble busts of Comolli of William Wyndham, Lord Grenville (sold to Marquess of Chandos), Rt. Hon Thomas Grenville (sold to the Earl of Ellesmere) and the late Duke of Gloucester (sold to the Marquess of Chandos).

Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (15 January 1776–30 November 1834) was a great-grandson of King George II and nephew and son-in-law of King George III. This may have been one of a group of portrait busts formerly at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire. The sculptor is thought to be Giovanni Battista Comolli, and Italian artist who worked mainly on the Continent, but was active in England around 1820.

Giovanni Battista Comolli (b.1775, d. 1830), a pupil of Canova, who lived principally in Milan, had a Europeran reputation, especially for his portraits. He visited London in 1820 to direct the decoration of the new Roman Catholic chapel at Moorfields and executed a number of busts here on commission.

A.69-1965