A GEORGE II LEAD FIGURE PERSONIFYING AFRICA

EARLY 18TH CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY VAN NOST

Details

A GEORGE II LEAD FIGURE PERSONIFYING AFRICA
EARLY 18TH CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY VAN NOST
Depicted with head scarf, earrings and feathered belt to his waist
31 in. (71.5 cm.) high
Together with an associated Portland limestone pedestal, in three sections with panelled sides - 33 in. (84 cm.) high

Provenance

Christie's, South Kensington, 26 November 2003, lot 429 where provenance was almost certainly:

From the early 18th century with John Shepherd and his heirs at Campsea Ashe High House, Suffolk.
From about 1880 with the Earls of Guildford, Glemham Hall, Suffolk, subsequently with Lady North at Glemham Hall.
From about 1914 with the Cobbold family at Glemham Hall.
Later with Philip Cobbold at Tattingstone Place, Suffolk, (Thomas White architect, built 1726-40).
From 1947 with the Budd family at Tattingstone Place and from 1966 with the present owner at the same.
Campsea Ashe (see Country Life volume XVIII, p.54) is some five miles from Glemham Hall (see Country Life volume XXVII, p.18), Tattingstone Place is to the south of Ipswich.

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Lot Essay

This figure of Africa is loosely similar to designs by van Nost the elder for a statue of King William III flanked by two Continents (V&A archive). It is conceivable the design also included two further figures of Continents to the rearward projections of the plinth. This design was not executed, but other statues of William III attributed to van Nost remain at Wrest Park and Portsmouth Dockyard. Nost supplied the King with much external as well as internal decoration for the gardens at Hampton Court.

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