Monument to Emily Georgiana, Lady Winchilsea thumbnail 1
Monument to Emily Georgiana, Lady Winchilsea thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 24, The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Galleries

Monument to Emily Georgiana, Lady Winchilsea

Monument
1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This monument, made by Lawrence Macdonald in 1850, is one in a series of dynastic monuments to the Finch family. Lady Winchilsea (1809–1848) died prematurely, and is portrayed in an elegant neo-classical style, the poetic inscription evoking the pathos of her early death. The sculpture was executed by the Scottish sculptor Lawrence Macdonald, who trained in Edinburgh, but spent most of his adult life living and working in Rome. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy in London, and at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. He also showed works at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Prince Albert was one of his patrons, and he executed ideal sculpture for Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. This monument is one of his most highly regarded sculptures, and exemplifies the classicising style in sculpture, which continued well into the mid 19th century.

Other monuments to members of the Finch family once in St Mary's Church, Eastwell, Kent, are now housed in the V&A. The church sadly fell into disrepair and collapsed in the 1960s, but the monuments were rescued and brought to the Museum at that date. In addition two busts of great-grandsons of Sir Moyle and Lady Finch, Daniel Finch and his brother, Canon Edward Finch, are also displayed in the V&A.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMonument to Emily Georgiana, Lady Winchilsea (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Carrara marble
Brief description
Statue, marble, 'Monument to Emily Georgiana, Lady Winchilsea', by Lawrence Macdonald, Scottish, Rome made, 1850
Physical description
The effigy, in white Carrara marble, is reclining on a classical day-bed. She wears a loose robe and is holding a scroll of paper on which reads: 'I AM HAPPY INDEED HAPPY IN THE WORD GOD IS WAITING FOR ME.' The bed is raised upon a high marble base. Inscribed, signed and dated.
Dimensions
  • Statue weight: 943kg
  • Base weight: 1898kg
  • Statue height: 89.9cm
  • Base height: 90.5cm
  • Statue width: 55.9cm
  • Width: 68.3cm
  • Statue length: 135.6cm
  • Base length: 148.3cm
  • Total weight: 2841kg
When moving object, 2 pallet trucks are needed, as the trucks take only 2000 kg each.
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'L.MACDONALD.FECIT.ROMA 1850' (Signature; date; 1850)
  • 'SACRED/TO THE MEMORY/OF/EMILY GEORGIANA/THE BELOVED WIFE OF/GEORGE WILLIAM/EARL OF WINCHILSEA AND NOTTINGHAM/WHO/DIED JULY THE 10TH 1848/AGED 39 AND WAS/BURIED IN THE CHANCEL OF EWERBY CHURCH/LINCOLNSHIRE' (in centred lettering on the front of the plinth)
  • 'I AM HAPPY INDEED HAPPY IN THE WORD/GOD IS WAITING FOR ME' (on the scroll held in her right hand)
  • 'I/When the knell rung for the dying/Soundeth for me/And my corse coldly is lying/Neath the green tree II/When the turf strangers are heaping/Covers my breast/Comes not to gaze on me weeping/I am at rest' (on the left side of the plinth)
  • 'III/All my life coldly and sadly/The days have gone by/I who dreamed wildly and madly/Am happy to die IV/Long since my heart has been breaking/Its pain is past/A time has been set to its aching/Peace comes at last/E.G.W. &. N.' (on the right side of the plinth)
Gallery label
Lawrence Macdonald (1799–1879) Monument to Emily Georgiana, Countess of Winchilsea (1809–48) Signed and dated 1850 Macdonald was a Scottish sculptor who worked mainly in Rome, specialising in portraits for a British clientele. This memorial shows Lady Winchilsea in an elegant classical pose inspired by Canova’s famous portrait of Pauline Bonaparte, also reclining on a daybed. The inscription evokes the sadness of her early death. Rome Marble From the ruined church of St Mary, Eastwell, Kent(2021)
Object history
This object is from the ruined church of St. Mary, Eastwell, Kent, the south porch. Given by the Rector and Church wardens of the Parish of Eastwell with Boughton Aluph in 1969.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This monument, made by Lawrence Macdonald in 1850, is one in a series of dynastic monuments to the Finch family. Lady Winchilsea (1809–1848) died prematurely, and is portrayed in an elegant neo-classical style, the poetic inscription evoking the pathos of her early death. The sculpture was executed by the Scottish sculptor Lawrence Macdonald, who trained in Edinburgh, but spent most of his adult life living and working in Rome. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy in London, and at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. He also showed works at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Prince Albert was one of his patrons, and he executed ideal sculpture for Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. This monument is one of his most highly regarded sculptures, and exemplifies the classicising style in sculpture, which continued well into the mid 19th century.

Other monuments to members of the Finch family once in St Mary's Church, Eastwell, Kent, are now housed in the V&A. The church sadly fell into disrepair and collapsed in the 1960s, but the monuments were rescued and brought to the Museum at that date. In addition two busts of great-grandsons of Sir Moyle and Lady Finch, Daniel Finch and his brother, Canon Edward Finch, are also displayed in the V&A.
Bibliographic references
  • 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. 329-30. cat. no. 498
  • Gunnis, R., Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851, (revised edition, first published London 1953), London, 1968, p. 248
  • Physick, J., ‘Five monuments from Eastwell’, in: Victoria & Albert Museum Yearbook, II, 1970, pp. 135-6, no. 5. fig. 16
Collection
Accession number
A.188-1969

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Record createdJune 28, 2002
Record URL
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