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Portrait of a lady

Bust and Pedestal
1818 (made)
Artist/Maker
Kelly, C (maker)
Place of origin
Great Britain (made)

Small portraits in ivory or wax were popular in Britain in the early nineteenth century. The sculptor C. Kelly is otherwise unknown, although he or she might have been related to John Kelly who exhibited four ivory busts at the Royal Academy in 1834 (Graves 1970, II, P. 308). An ivory bust of Princess Charlotte Augusta by John Kelly is also in the collection (inv. no. A.21-1938).


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Portraits
Object type
Bust and pedestal
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Bust
  • Pedestal
TitlePortrait of a lady (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Ivory
Ivory
Brief description
Bust, ivory, a portrait of a lady, by C. Kelly, Britain, dated 1818
Physical description
Portrait of a woman, bust in ivory. Shown three-quarters facing to the left. The hair is dressed in a knot on the top of the head and parted in front to form long ringlets at the sides of the head. The low cut dress forms a drapery round the shoulders. It is inscribed on the flat back with the name of the sculptor and date of execution.
Dimensions
  • Ivory alone height: 12.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
'C. KELLY Sculpt 1818'
Credit line
Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh, F.S.A.
Object history
Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh, F.S.A., in 1938.
Subjects depicted
Woman
Lady
Summary
Small portraits in ivory or wax were popular in Britain in the early nineteenth century. The sculptor C. Kelly is otherwise unknown, although he or she might have been related to John Kelly who exhibited four ivory busts at the Royal Academy in 1834 (Graves 1970, II, P. 308). An ivory bust of Princess Charlotte Augusta by John Kelly is also in the collection (inv. no. A.21-1938).
Bibliographic references
  • Review [1911-1938], Victoria & Albert Museum. Review of the Principal Acquisitions during the Year, London, 1938, p. 5
  • Ritchie, C.I.A., Modern Ivory Carving, London, 1972, ill. on p. 127
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, cat. no. 163
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.24, :1-1938

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O349443/portrait-of-a-lady-bust-and-pedestal-kelly-c/
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