The Marble Bust of John Wilkes (1725 - 97).
by Louis Francois Roubiliac.
Circa 1761.
Guildhall Museum, City of London.
Some notes -
From the Sublime Society of Beefsteaks.
Sold by Christie's, Lot 92, 7 April 1869. £23. 2s.
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Sold by Christie's, Lot 92, 7 April 1869. £23. 2s.
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Still in the collection of the Duke of St Alban's in 1929, (Esdaile).
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/personExtended/mp04827/john-wilkes?tab=iconography
The pupils have been carved and no attempt has been made to disguise his well known squint.
For Wilkes squint see -
https://www.jstor.org/stable/30053315?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
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Wilkes was elected to the Society of Beefsteaks on 19 January, 1754.
The Society included in it membership painter George Lambert Hogarth, Francis Hayman and Thomas Hudson, and architect, Isaac Ware.
For a very useful potted history the Beefsteak Society see.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beefsteak_Club
For a more in depth article -
http://www.pascalbonenfant.com/18c/clubs/jt_thebeefsteaksociety.html
John Wilkes.
The surface is quite badly weathered an stained and has lost most of its polish, but to my eye it has not lost any of its power.
The back is unusual in that it remains unfinished suggesting, perhaps that it was made originally to be put in a niche where it couldn't be seen.
It is fortunate that no one has seen fit to restore it beyond cleaning.
Photographed by the author in the sub basement store of the Guildhall Museum.
I am very grateful to everyone at the museum who made this post possible.
John Wilkes
WilliamHogarth.
Etching
Pub 1763.
31.4 x 22.2 cms
National Galleries of Scotland
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John Wilkes
J. Miller
33 x 22.9cms
1763
National Galleries of Scotland.
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Bust of Paul Whitehead.
Louis Francois Roubiliac
Posted here in anticipation of obtaining further and much better photographs in the future.
Paul Whitehead (1710 - 74).
attributed to Roubiliac by Mrs Esdaile.
On the evidence of the socle alone this would appear fair.
The socle appears on the busts of Sir Andrew Fountaine at Wilton and Narford Church.
The socle appears on the busts of Sir Andrew Fountaine at Wilton and Narford Church.
Marble Bust.
West Wycombe Park.
The style of the socle with the round central disk was used several times by Roubiliac including the bust of Sir Andrew Fountaine.
The sitter was
sculpted by Roubiliac; two versions were in the sculptor's posthumous sale,
12-15 May, 1742, being lots 14 of the first day and 15 of the third day.
Amould for these busts was also sold Lot 63 Day 2. to my knowledge no plaster bust of Paul Whitehead has yet been discovered.
Amould for these busts was also sold Lot 63 Day 2. to my knowledge no plaster bust of Paul Whitehead has yet been discovered.
Paul Whitehead satirist; studied law
in the Temple; he was confined for several years in Fleet prison, London, whence he issued
political squibs, including State Dunces, 1733; he published Manners, 1739, and
Honour, 1747; paid hanger-on of the 'Prince's friends'; secretary and steward
of the 'monks of Medmenham Abbey - Hellfire Club. He held a subordinate post in the treasury; and spent last years at Twickenham; was severely criticised by Churchill in his
satires (1763-64); his collected works were published, 1777.
Brief biog above lifted and adapted from NPG website.
Sir John Russell
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List of Some Members of the Hell Fire Club.
Sir Francis Dashwood, Lord le Despencer
Paul Whitehead, Poet and Steward
The Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty
Lord Melcombe Regis, Politician
Sir Thomas Stapleton of Greys, near Henley
Sir William Stanhope, MP for Buckinghamshire
Thomas Potter, son of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Sir John Dashwood-King, MP and Landowner
Dr Thomas Thompson, Physician to the Prince of Wales
Francis Duffield, owner of Medmenham Abbey
John Tucker, MP for Weymouth
John orris, MP & don at Magdalen College, Oxford
Arthur Vansittart, of Shottesbrooke Park, MP
Sir Henry Vansittart, Governor of Bengal and MP for Reading
Robert Vansittart, Regius Professor of Civil Law at Oxford
Charles Churchill, Poet
Robert Lloyd, Poet
George Selwyn, MP
John Wilkes, MP
Sir John Aubrey, MP
Dr Benjamin Bates of Aylesbury
William Hogarth, Painter
John Hall Stevenson
Edward Lovibond
Mr Clarke of Henley
Dr John Morton, MP
Richard Hopkins, MP
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