Attributed to Joseph Nollekens (British, 1737-1823): A carved marble portrait bust of William Pitt the Younger (British, 1759-1806) With direct provenance to Sir Robert Wigram, vice-president of the original Pitt Club, circa 1800 The sitter looking slightly to dexter, his shoulders clad in classical drapery, raised on a waisted circular socle, together with a Victorian pink scagliola faux marble pedestal of column form, the moulded circular top with inset retailers enamel circular label marked BELLMAN & IVEY, TO THE QUEEN MANUFACTURERS OF PEDESTALS FOR STATUARY & c., PRIZE MEDALS 1851 & 1862, 95 WIGMORE ST LONDON W., above a plain shaft and moulded circular socle, mounted to a later shallow square plinth base, The bust, 71.5cm high, 44cm wide, 23cm deep, the pedestal 108cm high, 39cm wide, 39cm deep (2) Footnotes: Provenance Sir Robert Wigram, 1st Baronet of Walthamstow Thence by descent Sir Robert Wigram (1744-1830), the first Baronet of Walthamstow, was a strong supporter of William Pitt the Younger, whom he met some time before becoming MP for Fowey, Cornwall in 1802. Sir Robert was born in Wexford, qualified initially as a ship's surgeon, and subsequently became a successful merchant and ship-owner, after ill-health ended his medical career. He owned several ships, including at least seven ships operating in the South Seas whaling operation; made numerous voyages to India; and was one of the major importers of drugs to England. Notably he was also one of the main businessmen behind the creation of the East India Dock Company and had partnerships in the Blackwall shipyard and Reid's Brewery. Sir Robert was vice-president of the original Pitt Club, formed in London in 1793 to memorialise William Pitt and counteract the radical ideas coming from France after the Revolution. Around 45 further Pitt clubs were subsequently set up around the country. He was created Baronet of Walthamstow in October, 1805 by Pitt. His close friendship with Pitt led him to commission the present bust, which has been passed down through the Wigram family to the vendor. William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806) became Prime Minister at the age of 24 in 1783. Critical of King George III's influence on Parliament, he sought to limit the monarchy's authority. His greatest opponent was Charles James Fox, with whom he shared a common goal of promoting parliamentary reforms that would enhance freedom. He served in office for nearly half his life and led the nation through the most tumultuous years of the Napoleonic Wars, dying at the age of 46. However the constant stress of his years in power exacerbated by copious amounts of port (ironically recommended by his own doctor for ill health) left him utterly drained. Those who saw him in his final weeks described him as a frail and worn-out man with lifeless eyes and a hollow voice. This was undoubtedly because although Lord Nelson's triumph at Trafalgar had averted an imminent invasion, Napoleon's decisive victory at the Battle of Austerlitz made him supreme ruler of continental Europe. This devastating defeat shattered the fragile alliance that Pitt had spent years carefully crafting. The news of Austerlitz was widely perceived as the final fatal blow to Pitt's political career and he reputedly uttered the immortal words, 'Oh my country! How I leave my country...' just prior to his untimely death in early 1806. Nollekens's sculpture of Pitt, who became Britain's youngest prime minister, remains one of his most renowned works, despite being created during an unflattering period in Pitt's life. During the Premier's lifetime, Pitt and Nollekens had a disagreement over the inscription on a sculpture commemorating three naval captains: William Bayne, William Blair and Lord Robert Manners. The monument remained unveiled for several years after its completion because Pitt refused to supply the eulogy. In frustration, Nollekens turned to the monarch for help, enraging Pitt, who refused to pose for the artist. As a result, Nollekens's portrait of Pitt, which was ultimately created using a death mask, was completed posthumously. The original sculpture, created in 1806, can be found in the possession of the Earl and Countess of Rosebery at their residence, Dalmeny House, located just outside Edinburgh. The offered bust exhibits similar characteristics to this bust, including finely carved locks of hair to the sitters' head. Nollekens and his workshop are thought to have produced over seventy replicas of this celebrated bust, providing the sculptor with a steady income in the later part of his life. Joseph Nollekens was the foremost sculptor of the late Georgian period. Born into a family of Flemish painters and trained by Peter Scheemakers, he earned numerous awards from the Society of Arts, which enabled him to travel to Rome to study the works of Michelangelo and 'other greats' (see J. T. Smith, 'Nollekens and His Times, London, 1829'). In Rome, Nollekens collaborated with the celebrated Italian scuptor Bartolommeo Cavaceppi, restoring and replicating antiquities, and gained a strong reputation for his skill in modelling and carving marble. Upon his return to London in 1771, he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy and became a full Royal Academician the following year. Nollekens quickly established himself as a leading portraitist, with John Kenworthy-Browne noting that 'in portrait busts Nollekens scarcely had a rival.' His talent for capturing and animating likenesses made his works exceptionally popular in England (J. Kenworthy-Browne, 'Nollekens, Joseph (1737-1823), Sculptor', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography). His notable sitters included figures such as actor David Garrick, King George III, and many prominent individuals of the time. In addition to his acclaimed portrait busts, Nollekens produced significant mythological works, including pieces for Wentworth Woodhouse, now displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Nonetheless, he is best known for his portrait busts, as evidenced by the soaring prices, which rose from 50 guineas in 1771 to 150 guineas by the end of his career. The Romantic painter Henry Fuseli favourably remarked, 'in a bust he stands unrivalled... (but) for a group of figures, I should have recommended Flaxman; but for a bust, give me Nollekens' (Smith, op. cit. p. 233). Related Literature Aileen Dawson, Portrait Sculpture, A catalogue of the British Museum Collection c.1675-1975, British Museum Press, 1999. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP TP For auctions held in Scotland: Please refer to the catalogue and/or after-sale information or contact Edinburgh@Bonhams.com for more information. 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