Equestrian statue for the Wellington Monument at Hyde Park Corner
Model
ca. 1885 (made)
ca. 1885 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This equestrian statue of Wellington was made by the sculptor Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm in ca. 1885. The monument to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner, was unveiled on 21st December 1888 by the Prince of Wales. The monument was commissioned as part of the re-design of Hyde Park Corner which had begun in 1883.
Boehm (1834-1890) was an English sculptor and medallist born in Austrian, as the youngest son of Joseph Daniel Boehm (1794–1865), a court medallist and director of the Imperial Mint at Vienna. From 1848 to 1851 Joseph Edgar attended Leigh’s art academy (later Heatherley’s) in London and drew the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum. On his return to Vienna he enrolled at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. Around 1858–9 he visited Italy, where he developed a lasting admiration for early Renaissance sculpture. From 1859 to 1862 he worked in Paris and was influenced by the work of Paul Gayrard (1807–1855). Boehm settled in London in 1862 where he befriended John Leech and John Everett Millais, both of whom he portrayed in statuettes in 1863. A statuette of William Makepeace Thackeray (1864) led to an edition of 70 plaster casts. Boehm frequently worked in terracotta, a material common in French sculpture but less familiar in English. Queen Victoria’s admiration of Boehm’s statuettes led to an association with the royal family that lasted from 1869 until his death. Most of Boehm’s works are portrait busts. Boehm was immensely prolific: some 360 different works are documented. He was a highly consistent sculptor, rarely deviating from his brand of realism. He was modest about his immense popularity and aware of his imaginative shortcomings (cit.: M. Stocker: 'Boehm, Joseph Edgar').
Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), later the 1st Duke of Wellington, was Britain's greatest military commander. His brilliant tactics and leadership brought about major victories over the French in the Peninsular War of 1808-1814 and, most famously, at Waterloo on 18 June 1815. The Duke then became a politician (Prime Minister from 1828-1830) and distinguished elder statesman. In gratitude for his defeat of Napoleon, European sovereigns showered the Duke with spectacular gifts, notably paintings, porcelain and silver. These form the core of the art collection still at his London home, Apsley House on Hyde Park Corner. The house was originally designed by Robert Adam but was enlarged for the Duke by Benjamin Dean Wyatt. It was presented to the Nation with its contents in 1947, the family retaining apartments.
Boehm (1834-1890) was an English sculptor and medallist born in Austrian, as the youngest son of Joseph Daniel Boehm (1794–1865), a court medallist and director of the Imperial Mint at Vienna. From 1848 to 1851 Joseph Edgar attended Leigh’s art academy (later Heatherley’s) in London and drew the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum. On his return to Vienna he enrolled at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. Around 1858–9 he visited Italy, where he developed a lasting admiration for early Renaissance sculpture. From 1859 to 1862 he worked in Paris and was influenced by the work of Paul Gayrard (1807–1855). Boehm settled in London in 1862 where he befriended John Leech and John Everett Millais, both of whom he portrayed in statuettes in 1863. A statuette of William Makepeace Thackeray (1864) led to an edition of 70 plaster casts. Boehm frequently worked in terracotta, a material common in French sculpture but less familiar in English. Queen Victoria’s admiration of Boehm’s statuettes led to an association with the royal family that lasted from 1869 until his death. Most of Boehm’s works are portrait busts. Boehm was immensely prolific: some 360 different works are documented. He was a highly consistent sculptor, rarely deviating from his brand of realism. He was modest about his immense popularity and aware of his imaginative shortcomings (cit.: M. Stocker: 'Boehm, Joseph Edgar').
Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), later the 1st Duke of Wellington, was Britain's greatest military commander. His brilliant tactics and leadership brought about major victories over the French in the Peninsular War of 1808-1814 and, most famously, at Waterloo on 18 June 1815. The Duke then became a politician (Prime Minister from 1828-1830) and distinguished elder statesman. In gratitude for his defeat of Napoleon, European sovereigns showered the Duke with spectacular gifts, notably paintings, porcelain and silver. These form the core of the art collection still at his London home, Apsley House on Hyde Park Corner. The house was originally designed by Robert Adam but was enlarged for the Duke by Benjamin Dean Wyatt. It was presented to the Nation with its contents in 1947, the family retaining apartments.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Equestrian statue for the Wellington Monument at Hyde Park Corner (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Plaster |
Brief description | Model, plaster, Equestrian Statue for the Wellington Monument, by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, England, 1885 |
Physical description | Plaster model. Design for the equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington on the monument at Hyde Park Corner. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Boehm Bequest |
Object history | Given by the executors of the late Sir J.E. Boehm, Bart., R.A. in 1892. |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | This equestrian statue of Wellington was made by the sculptor Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm in ca. 1885. The monument to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner, was unveiled on 21st December 1888 by the Prince of Wales. The monument was commissioned as part of the re-design of Hyde Park Corner which had begun in 1883. Boehm (1834-1890) was an English sculptor and medallist born in Austrian, as the youngest son of Joseph Daniel Boehm (1794–1865), a court medallist and director of the Imperial Mint at Vienna. From 1848 to 1851 Joseph Edgar attended Leigh’s art academy (later Heatherley’s) in London and drew the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum. On his return to Vienna he enrolled at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste. Around 1858–9 he visited Italy, where he developed a lasting admiration for early Renaissance sculpture. From 1859 to 1862 he worked in Paris and was influenced by the work of Paul Gayrard (1807–1855). Boehm settled in London in 1862 where he befriended John Leech and John Everett Millais, both of whom he portrayed in statuettes in 1863. A statuette of William Makepeace Thackeray (1864) led to an edition of 70 plaster casts. Boehm frequently worked in terracotta, a material common in French sculpture but less familiar in English. Queen Victoria’s admiration of Boehm’s statuettes led to an association with the royal family that lasted from 1869 until his death. Most of Boehm’s works are portrait busts. Boehm was immensely prolific: some 360 different works are documented. He was a highly consistent sculptor, rarely deviating from his brand of realism. He was modest about his immense popularity and aware of his imaginative shortcomings (cit.: M. Stocker: 'Boehm, Joseph Edgar'). Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), later the 1st Duke of Wellington, was Britain's greatest military commander. His brilliant tactics and leadership brought about major victories over the French in the Peninsular War of 1808-1814 and, most famously, at Waterloo on 18 June 1815. The Duke then became a politician (Prime Minister from 1828-1830) and distinguished elder statesman. In gratitude for his defeat of Napoleon, European sovereigns showered the Duke with spectacular gifts, notably paintings, porcelain and silver. These form the core of the art collection still at his London home, Apsley House on Hyde Park Corner. The house was originally designed by Robert Adam but was enlarged for the Duke by Benjamin Dean Wyatt. It was presented to the Nation with its contents in 1947, the family retaining apartments. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 1798-1892 |
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Record created | December 1, 2008 |
Record URL |
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