Bronze Portait Bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble

19th century

Sold by Skippings Fine Arts

Description

A magnificient Victorian bronze portait bust of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC, FRS (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865).

It is a work by Mathew Noble (1818-78), the leading Victorian portrait sculptor who specialised in figures and busts of British royalty and statesmen. His sculptures are displayed in locations such as Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Inns of Court and the Houses of Parliament. Indeed, our bronze is a smaller version of the marble bust of Viscount Palmerston in the Houses of Parliament Collection!

Henry John Temple was born in his family's Westminster house to the Irish branch of the Temple family on 20 October 1784. He became the 3rd Viscount Palmerston upon his father's death in 1802. His family derived their title from the Peerage of Ireland, Palmerston served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century and dominated British foreign policy during the period 1830 to 1865, when Britain was at the height of her imperial power. He held office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865. He began his parliamentary career as a Tory, defected to the Whigs in 1830, and became the first Prime Minister of the newly formed Liberal Party in 1859.

Our bronze measures 26 cm in height, and is titled and signed by Noble on the verso. The overall height including a green veined marble base is 41 cm.

Matthew Noble's work is rarely available on the market, Despite extensive research, I have not found another example of this bronze bust, neither in public collections, nor in litterature or auction records. While it cannot be excluded that there is one in existance, this gorgeous Victorian artifact is very much one of a kind.

It has a pendant, depicting Lord Elphinstone, offered in a seperate listing. Please contact me if you are interested in both pieces, as a discount for a combined purchase is available.. It would be lovely if the two busts were to remain in the same collection.

Physical Dimensions

Height

41cm (16.14")

Width

18cm (7.09")

Depth

8cm (3.15")

Declaration

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this piece to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA583897

Dealers Notes

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.

Description

A magnificient Victorian bronze portait bust of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC, FRS (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865).

“

It is a work by Mathew Noble (1818-78), the leading Victorian portrait sculptor who specialised in figures and busts of British royalty and statesmen.

Skippings Fine Arts

His sculptures are displayed in locations such as Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Inns of Court and the Houses of Parliament. Indeed, our bronze is a smaller version of the marble bust of Viscount Palmerston in the Houses of Parliament Collection!

fig 1. Bronze portait bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble — fig 1. Bronze Portait Bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble

Henry John Temple was born in his family's Westminster house to the Irish branch of the Temple family on 20 October 1784. He became the 3rd Viscount Palmerston upon his father's death in 1802. His family derived their title from the Peerage of Ireland, Palmerston served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century and dominated British foreign policy during the period 1830 to 1865, when Britain was at the height of her imperial power. He held office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865. He began his parliamentary career as a Tory, defected to the Whigs in 1830, and became the first Prime Minister of the newly formed Liberal Party in 1859.

fig 2. Bronze portait bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble — fig 2. Bronze Portait Bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble

Our bronze measures 26 cm in height, and is titled and signed by Noble on the verso. The overall height including a green veined marble base is 41 cm.

Matthew Noble's work is rarely available on the market, Despite extensive research, I have not found another example of this bronze bust, neither in public collections, nor in litterature or auction records. While it cannot be excluded that there is one in existance, this gorgeous Victorian artifact is very much one of a kind.

fig 3. Bronze portait bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble — fig 3. Bronze Portait Bust of Prime Minister Henry John Temple Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) by Matthew Noble

It has a pendant, depicting Lord Elphinstone, offered in a seperate listing. Please contact me if you are interested in both pieces, as a discount for a combined purchase is available.. It would be lovely if the two busts were to remain in the same collection.