Bust of Laurence Sterne

Joseph Nollekens (1737 - 1823)

Shandy Hall

1777

Nollekens executed a small number of busts of the novelist and clergyman Laurence Sterne. Nollekens met Garrick in Rome and executed his portrait for 'twelve guineas in gold'. This, the sculptor's maiden effort in portraiture, was so successful that Sterne, who was in Rome also consented to sit. The result was a bust for which Nollekens himself had a great partiality. Even in his period of full development, it was held to be among his best achievements, and is shown in the sculptor's portrait by Dance (now thought to be by Rigaud). Another version of this bust of Sterne was presented by Lt. Colonel Croft-Lyons to the National Portrait Gallery through the Art Fund in 1920.

• Medium: marble
• Dimensions: 50 cm
• Art Fund Grant: £15000 ( Total: £20,000)
• ArtFunded in: 1987
• Vendor: Monkman Collection

Provenance

Sold through David Low in 1948; Monkman Collection.

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