Design thumbnail 1
Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

Design

1733 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This design by William Kent is for a monument to James, 1st Earl Stanhope (1674-1721), which stands within the choir screen in the nave of Westminster Abbey. Stanhope enjoyed a distinguished military and political career, including positions as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State. The monument was erected in Westminster Abbey more than a decade after his death.

Sculptures known to have been designed by Kent are relatively few but are accorded positions of great prominence. In Westminster Abbey Kent designed the monuments to Newton and Earl Stanhope (both carved by John Michael Rysbrack) and to Shakespeare (carved by Peter Scheemakers) and received substantial fees for doing so. Vertue records that Kent was paid the large sum of £50 for supplying the design for this monument. Kent also designed the figures of Palladio and Inigo Jones (carved by Rysbrack) for the entrance front of Lord Burlington's Chiswick House. It is, therefore, possible that he may have designed sculptures for other locations.

Object details

Object type
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Alternative treatment for a design for the monument to James, 1st Earl Stanhope (1674- 1721), by William Kent
Physical description
A design drawing showing an alternative treatment for the top of the tented canopy of the design for the monument to James, 1st Earl Stanhope. The alternative section is attached to the main design (object number 8933:257), and depicts a seated female figure, variously identified as Bellona, Minerva, or Victory.
Dimensions
  • Attached part height: 12.7cm
  • Attached part width: 7cm
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed with scale in feet.
Place depicted
Summary
This design by William Kent is for a monument to James, 1st Earl Stanhope (1674-1721), which stands within the choir screen in the nave of Westminster Abbey. Stanhope enjoyed a distinguished military and political career, including positions as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State. The monument was erected in Westminster Abbey more than a decade after his death.

Sculptures known to have been designed by Kent are relatively few but are accorded positions of great prominence. In Westminster Abbey Kent designed the monuments to Newton and Earl Stanhope (both carved by John Michael Rysbrack) and to Shakespeare (carved by Peter Scheemakers) and received substantial fees for doing so. Vertue records that Kent was paid the large sum of £50 for supplying the design for this monument. Kent also designed the figures of Palladio and Inigo Jones (carved by Rysbrack) for the entrance front of Lord Burlington's Chiswick House. It is, therefore, possible that he may have designed sculptures for other locations.

Associated object
Collection
Accession number
8933:258

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 createdOctober 7, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest