Not currently on display at the V&A

Eleanor Watt (d. 1904)

Bust
1859-1861 (carved)
Artist/Maker
Macdonald, Lawrence (sculptor)
Place of origin
Rome (made)

Although this marble portrait bust is dated 1861, the sitter recorded in her will that it was 'done by Macdonald at Rome in the year 1859'. Mrs Watt's bequest to the Museum also included a number of Japanese bronzes, together with items of lacquer work, enamel and porcelain. The Museum wanted this bust too, for as 'a nucleus is being formed of portraits, busts, etc. of benefactors to the Museum . . . a place could be found for exhibiting them together.'

Lawrence Macdonald (1799-1878) was a Scottish sculptorwho 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.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Portraits
Scotland
SCRAN
Object type
Bust
TitleEleanor Watt (d. 1904) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Marble
Marble
Brief description
Bust, marble, representing Eleanor Watt, by Lawrence Macdonald, Scottish, Rome made, 1859-1861
Physical description
Middle-aged figure, the hair fastened loosely in a knot behind and bound with an ivy-wreath, the shoulders draped in classical fashion. On circular moulded base;.
Dimensions
  • Height: 67cm (with socle)
Marks and inscriptions
'L.MACDONALD.FECIT.ROMÆ. 1861' (signed on the truncation at the back)
Credit line
Bequeathed by Eleanor Watt
Object history
Although the present piece is dated 1861, the sitter recorded in her will that it was 'done by Macdonald at Rome in the year 1859'. Mrs Watt's bequest to the Museum included a number of Japanese bronzes, together with items of lacquer work, enamel and porcelain. Documentation relating to its acquisition records that the bust was 'characteristic of the period...we would also like to have the bust, as a nucleus is being formed of portraits, busts, &c of benefactors to the Museum. Somewhere, in the new building, a place could be found for exhibiting them together'.
Production
Begun 1859
Subject depicted
Watt, Eleanor
Summary
Although this marble portrait bust is dated 1861, the sitter recorded in her will that it was 'done by Macdonald at Rome in the year 1859'. Mrs Watt's bequest to the Museum also included a number of Japanese bronzes, together with items of lacquer work, enamel and porcelain. The Museum wanted this bust too, for as 'a nucleus is being formed of portraits, busts, etc. of benefactors to the Museum . . . a place could be found for exhibiting them together.'

Lawrence Macdonald (1799-1878) was a Scottish sculptorwho 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.
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, 522 p., ISBN 1-85177-395-9.
  • Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1904, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1908, p. 47
  • Gunnis, R., Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851, (revised edition, first published London 1953), London, 1968, p. 249
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
252-1904

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJanuary 13, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72896/eleanor-watt-d-1904-bust-macdonald-lawrence/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest