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Lot Essay
In her major work on the portrait busts of Thorvaldsen, Else Kai Sass discusses the circumstances under which the portraits of three of the daughters of the 2nd Earl of Lucan were sculpted by Thorvaldsen in circa 1816-1817, and attempts to match the busts to existing plasters in the Thorvaldsen museum. The appearance of these three busts, with their unbroken provenance, resolves this issue.
Richard, 2nd Earl of Lucan, was an important patron of Thorvaldsen, and was almost certainly responsible for the commission of these three busts, which appear to have been executed when his daughters were still young and unmarried. He also purchased Thorvaldsen's Venus, as well as his reliefs of Day and Night. A further ideal head of a woman (lot 72) is attributable to Thorvaldsen, and must have been purchased by Lord Lucan at the same time as these busts were being executed.
Richard, 2nd Earl of Lucan, was an important patron of Thorvaldsen, and was almost certainly responsible for the commission of these three busts, which appear to have been executed when his daughters were still young and unmarried. He also purchased Thorvaldsen's Venus, as well as his reliefs of Day and Night. A further ideal head of a woman (lot 72) is attributable to Thorvaldsen, and must have been purchased by Lord Lucan at the same time as these busts were being executed.