Joseph Nollekens arranges a bust of William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville, between busts of William Pitt the younger and Charles James Fox, in a display of sculptures. Etching by J. Sayers, 1808.

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The titlepage to Sayers's pamphlet (op. cit.) includes the note '"We understand that Mr Nollekens is now employed in modelling a bust of Lord Grenville, as a companion to those of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox." Daily Papers'. "This identifies 'Lord G******le' as William Wyndham Grenville, baron Grenville (1759-1834), of whom Nollekens did indeed complete a marble bust in 1810 (now in the Royal Collection). Grenville had served as Foreign Secretary under his cousin William Pitt, and had been a supporter of Catholic emancipation. He afterwards made an alliance with C.J. Fox and in 1806-7 led the 'ministry of all the talents'. "–Royal Academy online catalogue
The bust of Grenville wears a rosary and "the cross of Peter" round its neck because Grenville had argued the cause of Catholic emancipation with King George III, in vain. Pitt, a Tory, together with some of the other busts, looks at the arrival of Grenville, a Whig, with surprise. Fox (like Grenville a Whig) seems content: he is shown as dark-skinned ("Fox had dark, swarthy features"--Oxford dictionary of national biography). Left and right, two ancient sculptures from Nollekens's collection, one of a faun and the other of a torso

1 sculpture : pink wax ; image 8 cm height

Matthew Baillie. Wax relief by E. Wyon, 1847, after F. Chantrey.

Sculpture of Princess Charlotte Augusta, half length looking downwards to left

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Nollekens, Joseph, 1737-1823

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Joseph Nollekens arranges a bust of William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville, between busts of William Pitt the younger and Charles James Fox, in a display of sculptures. Etching by J. Sayers, 1808.

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Nollekens, Joseph, 1737-1823

Images

Works

Joseph Nollekens arranges a bust of William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville, between busts of William Pitt the younger and Charles James Fox, in a display of sculptures. Etching by J. Sayers, 1808.

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times