Lot 32
  • 32

English or Netherlandish, late 17th century

Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Pair of Busts of King Charles I (1600-1649) and Queen Henrietta Maria of England (1609-1669)
  • ivory set in bronze torsi, Henrietta Maria mounted with a gold and enamelled jewel with a lock of human hair attached
  • English or Netherlandish, late 17th century

Provenance

with Michael Hall, New York

Condition

Overall the condition of the busts is good with minor dirt and wear to the surfaces consistent with age. The head of the queen is very slightly loose from the bronze. The king's head appears to be reattached, as are the two front sections of his collar, where breaks are visible. There are a few losses to the king's collar at the front. There is some natural veining in the ivory heads, including to the faces, and surface dirt. The are a few minor casting flaws to the bronzes, including to the back of the torsos. The hair is detached.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

The present pair of historicising memorial busts of Charles I and Henrietta Maria are based on different pictorial sources. The queen closely resembles her depiction in the double portrait of Charles I and Henrietta Maria by Daniel Mytens, with additions by Van Dyck, in the Royal Collection (inv. no. 405789; circa 1630-32). Her costume, necklace and coiffure are faithfully replicated in three-dimensional form. The bust of Charles I is based on later imagery of the king, around the time of the Civil War, when the lace collar and elaborate court costume was replaced by an austere plain white collar and martial armour suit. It resembles Wencelaus Hollar's print of Charles I and the camps of his army in Scotland (1639), as well as enamel portraits by Jean Petitot, John Hoskins and paintings by William Dobson of the 1640's.

The busts were presumably a collaborative effort, the ivory heads being of higher relative quality than the bronze truncations. The sculptor may have been in the circle of the monogrammist G.VDR who was working in England and the Netherlands around the turn of the century.  The presence of the hair, if contemporary, suggest the busts were intended as a Stuart relic.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Roberts, The King's head. Charles I: King and martyr, exh. cat. The Queen's Gallery, London, 1999, pp. 14, 18 and 26