London:: Printed For R. Spencer, No. 22, Great Ormond-Street., 1808.
Physical Description
15, [1] p., frontis. (fold.); 236 mm. (Octavo.)
Contents
[Frontis., t.p.] - [Text]; [colophon].
Responsibility Note
The frontispiece is signed 'I.S. f. [i.e. James Sayers fecit]'.
It carries the publisher's imprint of R. Spencer, and the date (19th July 1808).
The printer is named on the t.p. verso and in the colophon: 'Printed by W. McDowall, Pemberton Row, Gough Square.'
References
On British caricature see R. Godfrey, ed., English caricature 1620 to the present [exhibition catalogue] (1984); M.D. George, English political caricature: a study of opinion and propaganda (2 vols., 1959).
On Grenville see P. Jupp, Lord Grenville, 1759-1834 (1985); A.D. Harvey, Lord Grenville, 1759-1834: a bibliography (1989).
On Nollekens M. Whinney, Sculpture in England 1530-1830 (rev. J. Physick, 1988), p.287-302; R. Gunnis, Dictionary of British sculptors 1660-1851 (forthcoming, 2005).
Summary Note
The text, here published anonymously, was by James Sayers. It is written in rhyming tetrameters. Under the title is a quotation, '"We understand that Mr Nollekens is now employed in modelling a Bust of Lord Grenville, as a Companion to those of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox." Daily Papers'. This identifies 'Lord G******le' as William Wyndham Grenville, baron Grenville (1759-1834), of whom Nollekens did indeed complete a marble bust in 1810 (now in the Royal Collection). Grenville had served as Foreign Secretary under his cousin William Pitt, and had been a supporter of Catholic emancipation. He afterwards made an alliance with C.J. Fox and in 1806-7 led the 'ministry of all the talents'.
The frontispiece is a satiric cartoon, showing a bust being set among busts of Pitt, Fox and others. It is captioned, 'And now the point of dress adjusted / Methinks I see his Lordship busted / And with the Cross of Peter graced / Between his quondam Colleagues placed / Propose with theirs to join his pate / And form a Bust Triumvirate'.
Provenance
The verso of the front free-endpaper is inscribed in pencil 'S: A: H', i.e. S. A. Hart RA, Librarian of the Royal Academy 1864-81. Purchased for RA Library in 1871 (see 'Library Report for the Year 1871', RA Annual Report, Appendix No. 7, p. 27).
Binding Note
19th-century quarter red morocco, red cloth-covered boards; spine lettered, 'Hints To Nollekens.'
Politicians - Sculptors - Artists - Portraitists - Great Britain - London - 19th century
Sculpture - Busts - Great Britain - London - 19th century
English poetry - Verse satire - Cartoon & satire - Satires - Political cartoons - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century