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Lot Essay
In the gardens at Stowe in Buckinghamshire, in addition to the Greek and Roman temples that have come to be a familiar part of the landscape garden, is to be found the Temple of British Worthies, designed by William Kent in 1733. Here, originally Mercury, in the centre of a circle, led souls, represented by carved busts placed in niches, to Elysium; the novelty was that these were British souls. Executed by Rysbrack and possibly Scheemakers, they included Milton, Locke, Shakespeare, Inigo Jones, as well as Queen Elizabeth and Alfred the Great. This was clearly a demonstration of national pride along side an admiration for antiquity. From this time on such national 'worthies' became popular subjects for garden ornament, and could also often be found in terracotta and plaster decorating the niches and bookcases of libraries.
John Locke (d.1704), an English philosopher, is a founder of Empiricism and political liberalism. An Essay concerning Human Understanding, his most famous work, was published in 1690.
Another version of this bust, attributed to Michael Rysbrack, was sold in these Rooms, 28 March, 1971, lot 148, and a pair of bronze versions of this bust and the bust of Milton (see following lot), also attributed to Rysbrack, were sold together in these Rooms, 11 December, 1979, lot 246.
John Locke (d.1704), an English philosopher, is a founder of Empiricism and political liberalism. An Essay concerning Human Understanding, his most famous work, was published in 1690.
Another version of this bust, attributed to Michael Rysbrack, was sold in these Rooms, 28 March, 1971, lot 148, and a pair of bronze versions of this bust and the bust of Milton (see following lot), also attributed to Rysbrack, were sold together in these Rooms, 11 December, 1979, lot 246.