Lot 31: John Gibson , British 1791-1866 CUPID DISGUISED AS A SHEPHERD BOY white marble, raised on a black and red scagolia columar pedestal

signed J. GIBSON FECIT ROMAE white marble, raised on a black and red scagolia columar pedestal

measurements statue height 51 1/2 in.; pedestal 24 in. alternate measurements 131 cm; 61 cm

E. Eastlake pp 75-76, 250T. Matthews pp. 75-78, 242

Commissionned by Sir John Johnstone, Hackness Hall, Scarborough

Born in Conway, North Wales, the son of a market gardener, John Gibson went on to become one of the foremost neo-classical sculptors of the 19th century. His family moved to Liverpool in 1799 and the young Gibson was first apprenticed to a cabinet maker before joining the workshop of F A Legé. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1816 and moved to Rome the following year, where he received distinguished attention from both Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen. From Rome he built up an international clientele for his marbles, and his studio became a place of interest for wealthy tourist passing through the Eternal City. The present marble is the prime version of Gibson's Cupid disguised as a Shepherd Boy. The subject was inspired by a passage in Tasso's prologue to Aminta. Lady Eastlake records Gibson's own description of the model. 'This [passage from Tasso] gave me the idea of modelling Love disguised as a Shepherd, in his Greek hat and little cloak. The potent god, while slyly concealing behind his back the arrow of soft tribulations, advances his right hand as if to inspire confidence, and assumes an air of modesty and timidity. Below the edge of his mantle behind are just seen the tips of his folded wings'. Matthew, in his biography of Gibson, further describes the sculptor having a dream in which Cupid appears to him and exorts the sculptor to give his statue celestial color. Gibson admitted that his Cupid disguised as a Shepherd 'made no impression upon the hearts of the daily paper critics'. However, this did not diminish the number of orders for replicas received by the sculptor. Eight repititions are documented of which this is the prime version. Gibson's biographies record repititions made for the Emperor of Russia, Sir Robert Peel, collingwood Esq., Mr. Appleton of Boston, USA, R. Allison, Esq. of Liverpool, Henry Farnham of Philadelphia, USA and Abel Bulkley Esq., Jun.