Joseph Nollekens

Joseph Nollekens was one of the most accomplished sculptors in Britain during the second half of the eighteenth century. His most distinguished works were his portrait busts of notable individuals, many of which proved so popular that they were often repeated. This sensitive portrait drawing by the engraver Charles Grignion presents Nollekens in the bust-length format of the sculptor's most prized works. Grignion imbues his drawing with many of the expressive equalities for which Nollekens was often praised, such as the sitter's thoughtful and animated expression. Within a domestic interior, portraits of artists were displayed to reflect a collector's interest in the arts, as a mark of his or her cultural refinement.