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Sir Henry Cole KCB (1808-1882)

Bust
1875 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sir Henry Cole was the founder and first Director and Secretary of the South Kensington Museum (part of which was to become the V&A). He played a leading role in the running of the Museum from its inception after the Great Exhibition in 1851 until his retirement in 1873. This sculpture was purchased from the sculptor in 1883 soon after Cole's death for 50 guineas. Cole recorded eight sittings for Boehm in his diary for 1875, presumably for a version of this bust. Several other versions of the bust are known in marble, metal and plaster. Cole is shown in contemporary dress, and his relatively informal demeanour perhaps reflects the more naturalistic style of sculpture which had been introduced by French artists who had come to work in London during the Paris Commune in the early 1870s, notably Jules Dalou (1838-1902), who taught at the National Art Training School (now the Royal College of Art) in South Kensington for several years. Boehm was a native of Vienna and trained in Paris and Italy as well as London before settling in London in 1862. He was favoured by Queen Victoria, and taught sculpture to her daughter, Princess Louise.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSir Henry Cole KCB (1808-1882) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Terracotta
Brief description
Bust, terracotta, Sir Henry Cole, K.C.B., by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, England, 1875
Physical description
Cole is shown in contemporary dress and relatively informal demeanour.
Dimensions
  • Height: 71.5cm
  • Width: 51cm
  • Depth: 31cm
Object history
Purchased from the sculptor in 1883 for £52 10s [50 guineas].
Subject depicted
Summary
Sir Henry Cole was the founder and first Director and Secretary of the South Kensington Museum (part of which was to become the V&A). He played a leading role in the running of the Museum from its inception after the Great Exhibition in 1851 until his retirement in 1873. This sculpture was purchased from the sculptor in 1883 soon after Cole's death for 50 guineas. Cole recorded eight sittings for Boehm in his diary for 1875, presumably for a version of this bust. Several other versions of the bust are known in marble, metal and plaster. Cole is shown in contemporary dress, and his relatively informal demeanour perhaps reflects the more naturalistic style of sculpture which had been introduced by French artists who had come to work in London during the Paris Commune in the early 1870s, notably Jules Dalou (1838-1902), who taught at the National Art Training School (now the Royal College of Art) in South Kensington for several years. Boehm was a native of Vienna and trained in Paris and Italy as well as London before settling in London in 1862. He was favoured by Queen Victoria, and taught sculpture to her daughter, Princess Louise.
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, 2002, p. 201, cat. no. 286
  • List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1883. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1884. pp. 66
  • c.f Bonython, E. King Cole. A picture portrait of Sir Henry Cole, KCB 1808-1882. London: V&A, 1982
  • c.f. Physick, J. The Victoria and Albert Museum. The History of its Building. London: V &A, 1982
  • c.f. Grand Design: The Art of the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 1997
  • c.f. Bonython and Burton. The Great Exhibitor: the Life and Work of Henry Cole. London: V&A Research report, 2001
  • Stocker, M. Royalist and Realist. The life and work of Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm. New York and London, 1988. pp. 366, 407
  • Graves, A. The Royal Academy of Arts. A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904. I. East Earsley, 1905-6. p. 219, no. 1453
  • Illustrated Catalogue of the National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne, 1908. pp. 48. no. 120
  • Magazine of Art. 1891. p.xlvi
  • Thieme, U, Becker, F. Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Kunstler. 4. Leipzig. pp. 195
Collection
Accession number
525-1883

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Record createdJanuary 9, 2003
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