Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Bust of William Ewart Gladstone Photograph
Region ID | EM | |
Work ID | 104 | |
Manual Reference | LE108TCBMAY | |
Type | Sculpture | |
Title | Bust of William Ewart Gladstone | |
Sculptor | Saul, George H. | |
Date of design | 1881 | |
Year of unveiling | 1898 | |
Unveiling details | ||
Road | Bishop Street | |
Precise Location | Alliance House, No. 6 Bishop Street; in entrance hall | |
A to Z Ref | 4 D4 (1) | |
OS Ref | SK588043 | |
Postcode | LE1 | |
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | Not listed | |
Duty of Care | ||
Commissioned by | Edwin Clephan | |
Notes | ||
Portrait bust of Gladstone in his later years, in frock coat, waistcoat, wing-collared shirt and tie. The subject's head is turned slightly to his right, the eyes, which are incised, look straight ahead. | ||
circa | ||
raw year | 1898 | |
Condition | Fair | |
At risk | Not at risk | |
Inscriptions | - on two brass plaques fixed to the fron of the drum of the pedestal, in cursive script: (i) upper: The Right Hon: W. E. Gladstone, M.P. / - / Presented to / The Leicester & County Liberal Club / by / Edwin Clephan Esq: J.P. / 1898 (ii) lower: This Building, / formerly known as / "Gladstone Buildings" / was occupied by / The Leicester and County Liberal Club / From 1888 until 1936. | |
Signatures | - at rear on imitation label (with top left corner turned down), in cursive script: G.H. Saul 1881 | |
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
bust | white marble | h. 69.5 cm; w. 65 cm; d. 32 cm |
socle | white marble | h. 15 cm |
pedestal | imitation stone | h. 123.5 cm |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character
Detail | Comment |
|---|---|
Abrasions, cracks, splits | superficial scratches to rear of bust |
Other | surfaces of bust generally grimy; lettering on upper of two brass plaques on pedestal very faint, presumably from polishing |
Accretions | unidentified substance inserted into right nostril and between lips - unlikely to have damaged surface, however. |
Structural Condition
Structural Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
Broken, missing parts | points of winged collar missing; small, perhaps recent, chips out of forward edge of left shoulder; small loss to lower extremity of right lapel; edge of left lapel slightly roughened |
Vandalism
Vandalism | Comment |
|---|---|
None | But see 'Accretions' above. |
