-
Monument
Stone, Nicholas - Enlarge image
Monument
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
ca. 1630 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Stone, Nicholas (the Elder), born 1586 - died 1647 (sculptor)
- Materials and Techniques:
Carved marble and alabaster
- Credit Line:
Given by the Rector and Churchwardens of the Parish of Eastwell with Broughton Aluph
- Museum number:
A.186-1969
- Gallery location:
Sculpture, room 24, case FSE
This monument is one of a series commemorating members of the Finch family; it was erected after the death of Sir Moyle Finch, but during the lifetime of Lady Elizabeth Finch, who became Viscountess Maidstone in 1623, and then Countess of Winchilsea in 1628. The names of their 12 children are inscribed round the base; the monument to their fourth son, Heneage, is displayed nearby.
Originally this monument had a canopy with inscriptions and a giant heraldic griffin, supported by eight marble columns; this was taken down in 1756 as it was thought to be in danger of collapsing. The bases of the columns can be seen around the edge of the bier on which the figures lie. A 17th-century drawing showing the canopy exists in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries. A wide base originally extended around the bier, but this is currently not on display.
Nicholas Stone was the foremost British sculptor of his day, and was trained in the Netherlands, where he learned the art of carving marble. With the onset of the Civil War in 1642 he evidently ceased working, and the sculptural tradition in Britain generally was not revived again until the late 17th century.
There are two sorts of alabaster. Calcite alabaster is very hard and was used in ancient times. This object is made of gypsum alabaster which is a fine-grained, soft and smooth stone. Although at first glance it looks a little like marble, which it was intended to imitate, it was much easier to carve due to its softness, and alabaster objects were therefore significantly cheaper to produce. Marble does not originate in England, so it was imported if needed, whereas in the 15th century there were important alabaster quarries in Nottingham, York, Burton-on-Trent and London. England was a major centre for the production of objects such as this one. During period, they were exported in very large numbers to Europe where they survive, unlike many examples which remained in England and were destroyed or greatly damaged during the Reformation.
