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FDA-Sc.32-2017

Parts

Object number

FDA-Sc.32-2017

Object type

Identification

Title

Charles, 2nd Earl Grey

Description

Sculpted bust of a man, with short hair, clean shaven, in classical drapery

Comments

'A bust of the Earl Grey (by Campbell) has just been presented to the College by the family of his Lordship, and will be placed in the Upper School.'
[Reading Mercury, Saturday 31 July 1852]

'Thomas Campbell (1790-1858) is the artist responsible for [the] Lord Denman and Earl Grey [busts]... Campbell possessed, according to contemporary opinion, “the peculiar felicity of seizing the individual likeness of his sitters and giving them a sentiment and expression highly characteristic.” So we know what Denman and Grey really looked like... The bust of Grey, humorous, sturdy, commonsensical, is an agreeable thing: what a long way the sitter has come since the arrogance of Romney’s leaving portrait! Our Grey is a metal cast of the bust in the Royal Collection, coated in white paint. Macro, the School Messenger, considers it the only good one in Upper School. “I can’t get the rest really clean,” he says.'
['Eton Busts' by Oliver Van Oss, Etoniana, No.123, November 29, 1969, p.354-355]

Other number

FDA-A.132-2010

Description

Content (person)

Dimension note

27in. high

Inscription

Lettered on the wall sconce which supports the bust: 'GREY'

Materials & techniques note

'metal cast', painted to look like marble

Production

Person

Date

1842

History and association

Object history note

Provenance: Presented to Eton College by the family of the sitter in 1852
image 69865
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