Lot 126: FREDERICK WILLIAM POMEROY (BRITISH, 1856-1924) FREDERICK TEMPLE HAMILTON TEMPLE BLACKWOOD, 1ST MARQUESS OF DUFFERIN AND AVA, G.C.B.,

G.C.M.G (1826-1902) Signed and dated F.W. Pomeroy 1905 Copyright Bronze, mid-brown patination Figure 22 cm (8 3/4 in) Base 6.5 cm (2 1/2 in) Frederick Blackwood had a distinguished political and diplomatic carrer. He was Under-Secretary for India (1864-66) and for War (1866); Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in (1868-72); Governor-General of Canada (1872-78), having been created earl in 1871. From 1879 to 1881 he was ambassador at St. Petersburg and later at Constantinople. In 1884 he became Viceroy of India, where he strengthened the Indian frontier and annexed Upper Burma in 1885. He was created marquess in 1888 and became ambassador at Rome and finally Paris (1891-96). Pomeroy exhibited a bronze statue of the late Marquess of Dufferin and Ava at the Royal Academy in 1905 (no.1664). The following year he presented a model of a monument to the Marquess (no. 1615) to be erected in Belfast. When working on his statue Pomeroy may have known George Frederick Watt's painting of the subject, given to the National Portrait Gallery in 1902.