Lot 411: MICHAEL RYSBRACK (1694-1770) BRITISH, 1733 | Bust of Field Marshal George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney KT (1666-1737)

the socle inscribed: Georgius Comes D. Orkney. Filius / qunitus Gulielmi Dux Hamiltonie / Aetatis Sui 67. A.D. 1733 (George, Earl of Orkney, the fifth son of William, Duke of Hamilton. His age 67 in the year of our Lord 1733)

83cm., 32¾in. overall.

white marble, on a white marble socle

Overall the condition of the bust is very good with minor wear to the surface consistent with age. Significantly, the bust retains its original, beautifully carved, surface. The bust was professionally cleaned and conserved in 2009/10 by Voitek Conservation, London, prior to going on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum. There had previously been some light orange discolouration to the proper right side, probably due to the bust having been placed near to a leaking water pipe in the distant past. This discolouration was successfully removed, with only minor staining remaining in the bottom of the socle, possibly due to a higher concentration of iron particles localised within the marble of the socle, or as the result of substances used to heighten the lettering of the inscription (no trace elements of such heightening remain). There are restorations to the top rim of the socle, which has been strengthened with the addition of a stainless steel plate (barely visible from below). There is veining to the marble consistent with the material, including a more prominent slightly open vein running from the back of the neck through to the proper left shoulder; this vein is restored. There are some further slightly open veins in the front of the proper left shoulder. There are some minor abrasions to the drapery at the proper right shoulder, and to some of the edges of the bust. The front lower right corner of the socle below the inscription is replaced. There are some very minor chips around the lower edges of the socle. The bust revolves with ease, allowing viewing from multiple viewpoints.
"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."

London, The Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood House, Eighteenth century Portrait Busts, June-September 1959, no. 30;
London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2010-2015 (inv. no. LOAN:SCPANON.1-2010)

G. Vertue, Walpole Society XXII , Vertue Notebooks, vol. III, 1732, p. 57 (terracotta model);
M. I. Webb, Michael Rysbrack Sculptor, London, 1954, p. 222 (terracotta model);
M. I. Webb, 'A Rysbrack Discovery', Country Life, November 22, 1956, p. 1182;
M. Whinney and M. Crake, Eighteenth century Portrait Busts, exh. cat. The Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood House, London, 1959, p. 27, no. 30;
M. Whinney, Sculpture in Britain 1530-1830, London, 1964, pp. 87 and 256, n.17;
M. Baker, Figured in Marble: the making and viewing of eighteenth century sculpture, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2000, p.141, fig. 111;
I. Roscoe, E. Hardy and M.G. Sullivan (eds.), A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain 1660-1851, New Haven and London, 2009, p. 1087, no. 202;
D. Wilson, 'The British Augustan oligarchy in portraiture: Michael Rysbrack and his bust of the Earl of Orkney,' The British Art Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, 2010/2011, pp. 43-61;
D. Wilson, ‘Michael Rysbrack’s Antique Head on Modern Shoulders’, The Georgian Group Journal, Vol. XXI [2013], pp. 15-29, at pp. 19-20.

Almost certainly George Hamilton, 1^st Earl of Orkney, and by descent;
Arthur Oliver Villiers Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill, Viceroy of India and Margaret Russell (née Lygon), Baroness Ampthill, Oakley House, Bedfordshire, until circa 1935;
with Ron Green Antiques, Towcester, Northamptonshire, circa 1955;
with John Teed, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, by 1956;
Denys Sutton, London, acquired between 1957 and 1959, until 1991;
Sotheby's New York, 29-30 January 2009, lot 339;
Private Collection, London