Pair of sculptors by John Henning Senior, HRSA and Caroline Princess of Wales

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Pair of sculptors by John Henning Senior, HRSA and Caroline Princess of Wales

About the Item

A self-portrait of the artist, bust-length, facing right. Plaster medallion in mid-relief, indistinctly inscribed below the truncation. Turned wood frame, inscribed on the reverse John Henning H.R.S.A/ Sculptor/ by Himself. Circular, 79mm (3 1/8in) dia. Also sculptor of Caroline, Princess of Wales (1768-1821), bust-length, profile to the left When George, Prince of Wales, realised that the only way that he could pay off his debts was to marry and furnish the country with an heir, he agreed to marry his cousin, Caroline of Brunswick. George did not find his new bride in any way attractive so once she had produced a child he informed her that she could do as she liked, as he would not be having 'relations' with her again. Rejected by her husband she went to live at Blackheath, London where her behaviour became a little extreme. A Royal Commission was set-up, called the 'Delicate Investigation' but nothing could be proved against her. In 1814 Caroline left England and proceeded to shock the people of Europe! She danced at a Ball in Geneva naked to the waist, and in Naples she became the mistress of King Joachim, Napoleon's brother-in-law. In January 1820 King George III died and his son became King George IV and so Caroline became Queen. The government offered her £50,000 to stay out of the country, but she refused and came back where she settled in Hammersmith to the intense embarrassment of all concerned. In August the House of Lords demanded that Caroline appear before them with the aim of dissolving the marriage. However Caroline was very popular with the London 'mob' who escorted her coach and surrounded the House of Lords every day. After 52 days the divorce clause was carried but after the brilliant oratory of Lord Brougham in her defence, the Lords decided to drop it. She died 19 days after her frustrated attempt to be part of George's Coronation and was buried in Brunswick, and on her coffin was inscribed 'Caroline The Injured Queen Of England. John Henning Senior was raised in Scotland, and after training under his father as a builder, turned to wax portraiture, and then, in 1803 after coming to London where he saw the Elgin Marbles, he turned to sculpture. Over more than a decade he carved a copy of the frieze, with his own additions to fill in the missing portions, and sold copies of this in plaster at reduced size. He also continued to produce wax portraits, and some small portraits for reproduction in Wedgwood, and later on, made copies in plaster after the Raphael Cartoons at South Kensington, which were much admired. Henning exhibited at the Royal Academy in the 1820s, and at varying periods at the British Institution, and the Royal Scottish Academy. He was a founder member of the Society of British Artists. His chief work to be seen is the frieze around the Athenaeum (1830) in Waterloo Place, London. This is based on his version of the Parthenon frieze.

Dimensions:
Height: 1.58 in (4 cm)Diameter: 6.11 in (15.5 cm)Seat Height: 1.58 in (4 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1830
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Glencarse, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU204637761503