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Relief
Rouw, Peter - Enlarge image
Relief
- Object:
Relief
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
- Date:
1822 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Rouw, Peter (the younger), born 1771 - died 1852 (maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Modelled wax
- Museum number:
A.58-1940
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 120, case 11
Object Type
This small wax portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), was one of many likenesses produced in different media during the 19th century, following the victory at Waterloo in 1815. The wax was probably produced in some numbers and sold to retail customers, rather than being commissioned. Such waxes would be hung on walls, predominantly in middle-class homes.
People
Peter Rouw (1770-1852) was a highly successful wax modeller, who was appointed 'Sculptor & Modeller of Gems and Cameos to His Majesty' (George III) in 1807. He attended the Royal Academy Schools in 1788, and exhibited 22 portraits in wax at the Royal Academy between 1787 and 1833. He specialised in pink wax portraits, such as this one of Wellington.
Materials & Making
Wax portraits and figure groups were popular in Britain during the 18th and early19th centuries. The malleability of the material meant that it could be modelled extremely naturalistically, and, as casts could easily be taken and wax was relatively cheap, reproductions could be made and sold at low prices. Sometimes colour was added: the pink colour of this portrait was favoured by Rouw and other portrait modellers. Some wax pieces were naturalistically coloured and adorned with textiles or other additions, such as glass jewels, increasing the realism of the pieces.
