Not currently on display at the V&A

King George IV (1762-1830)

Relief
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This wax relief depicts George IV, King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1820 to 1830.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, low relief portraits in wax became popular in Britain and they were often exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Society of Artists and elsewhere. Waxes were used in a similar way to prints and medals, in order to disseminate the image of the sitter, or, like miniature paintings or silhouettes as portable mementoes. Wax was well suited to being cast and reproduced many times over from the same mould in order to propagate an image.

Catherine Andras was appointed Modeller in Wax to Queen Charlotte in 1802. This relief is one of a framed series which also includes images of Princess Charlotte, the Duke of Kent and George III.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleKing George IV (1762-1830)
Materials and techniques
Wax
Brief description
Wax, English, by Catherine Andras (1775-1860), 19th century
Physical description
Wax relief.
Credit line
Rupert Gunnis Bequest
Object history
Rupert Gunnis Bequest.
Subject depicted
Summary
This wax relief depicts George IV, King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1820 to 1830.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, low relief portraits in wax became popular in Britain and they were often exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Society of Artists and elsewhere. Waxes were used in a similar way to prints and medals, in order to disseminate the image of the sitter, or, like miniature paintings or silhouettes as portable mementoes. Wax was well suited to being cast and reproduced many times over from the same mould in order to propagate an image.

Catherine Andras was appointed Modeller in Wax to Queen Charlotte in 1802. This relief is one of a framed series which also includes images of Princess Charlotte, the Duke of Kent and George III.
Bibliographic references
  • Pyke, E. A Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1973, p. 5.
  • Trusted, Marjorie (ed.) The Making of Sculpture. The materials and techniques of European Sculpture, London, Victoria and Albert Museum Publications, 2007.
Collection
Accession number
A.115-1965

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Record createdMarch 17, 2004
Record URL
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