An Early 19th Century Century Marble Bust of William Pitt the Younger (1759 – 1806)

This finely modelled bust, mounted upon a marble socle, captures Pitt’s likeness with striking clarity and poise. Looking to Dexter, the quality of carving reflects the reputation Nollekens earned as the leading portrait sculptor of his generation.

According to Rupert Gunnis in The Dictionary of British Sculpture 1660-1851 (rev. ed., 1968), Nollekens produced portraits of Pitt from a death mask taken immediately after his passing, selling them at £120. He is also known to have made casts of the mask itself, the original remaining in the Stanhope family collection. Beyond the busts, Nollekens created a full-length statue of Pitt, installed at Senate House, Cambridge, in 1812. Busts of Pitt were often paired with those of Charles James Fox, reflecting their roles as political rivals of the age.

Comparable examples reside in major institutions, notably the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, London, as well as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Height: 70cm, 27 5/8″
Width: 41.5cm, 16 1/2″
Depth: 29cm, 11 1/2″