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Prince Albert (1819-1861)

Bust
1864 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The bust is inscribed on the back: GIVEN TO HENRY COLE / BY QUEEN VICTORIA ON / THE FORTY FIFTH / ANNIVERSARY OF THE / PRINCE CONSORT'S / BIRTHDAY / XXVI AUGUST / MDCCCLXIV. It is a cast after the posthumous marble bust of the Prince Consort by William Theed III (1804-1891) at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, one of two memorial busts of Queen Victoria's deceased consort, Prince Albert (1819-1861), that were commissioned by her and completed by Theed in 1862. In the same year Theed exhibited one of the busts at the Royal Academy of Arts in London (no. 992). A version of the present bust in Parian ware (a granular white porcelain that resembles marble), together with a companion bust of Queen Victoria, was produced by W. T. Copeland for the Art Union in 1865.

William Theed III (1804-1891) initially trained under his father, William Theed II (1764-1817). He attended the Royal Academy Schools, and trained for five years under the supervision of Edward Hodges Baily. He travelled to Rome in 1826, studying under Bertel Thorvaldesn, John Gibson, and Richard James Wyatt. Theed, like Baron Carlo Marochetti, was a favoured sculptor of Queen Victoria. He exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1824 and 1885.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePrince Albert (1819-1861) (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze, cast
Brief description
Bust, bronze, Prince Albert, by William Theed III, cast by Elkington & Co, England, 1864
Physical description
This half-length-size bust portrays Prince Albert looking frontally, and wearing a toga fastened on the left shoulder, the other shoulder left bare. Signed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 38cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'W.THEED. SC. LONDON 1864' [and] 'ELKINGTON & Co. FOUNDERS' (signed)
  • 'GIVEN TO HENRY COLE BY QUEEEN VICTORIA ON THE FORTY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PRINCE CONSORT'S BIRTHDAY XXVI AUGUST MDCCCLXIV' (on the back)
Object history
Previously in collection of Mrs Shirley Bury (formerly keeper of Metalwork in the Museum). Sold at Sotheby's London, March 15, 1996, lot 85. Bought there for £1,646.75, with a departmental grant, in 1996.
This was a very apt acquisition for the Museum, because it was originally presented to its first Director, Sir Henry Cole (1808-1882), as recorded on the inscription.
Subject depicted
Summary
The bust is inscribed on the back: GIVEN TO HENRY COLE / BY QUEEN VICTORIA ON / THE FORTY FIFTH / ANNIVERSARY OF THE / PRINCE CONSORT'S / BIRTHDAY / XXVI AUGUST / MDCCCLXIV. It is a cast after the posthumous marble bust of the Prince Consort by William Theed III (1804-1891) at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, one of two memorial busts of Queen Victoria's deceased consort, Prince Albert (1819-1861), that were commissioned by her and completed by Theed in 1862. In the same year Theed exhibited one of the busts at the Royal Academy of Arts in London (no. 992). A version of the present bust in Parian ware (a granular white porcelain that resembles marble), together with a companion bust of Queen Victoria, was produced by W. T. Copeland for the Art Union in 1865.

William Theed III (1804-1891) initially trained under his father, William Theed II (1764-1817). He attended the Royal Academy Schools, and trained for five years under the supervision of Edward Hodges Baily. He travelled to Rome in 1826, studying under Bertel Thorvaldesn, John Gibson, and Richard James Wyatt. Theed, like Baron Carlo Marochetti, was a favoured sculptor of Queen Victoria. He exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1824 and 1885.
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, p. 414, cat. no. 684
  • Bonython, E., King Cole. A Picture Portrait of Sir Henry Cole, KCB 1808-1882, London, [n.d.] [1982], p. 54
Collection
Accession number
A.1-1996

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Record createdMarch 3, 2003
Record URL
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