Daniel Finch

myminifactory

This portrait bust of statesman Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, is an early work by Rysbrack. It helped establish his reputation in England, possibly based on three painted likenesses by Sir Godfrey Kneller from 1720. This has led some to suggest the bust dates back to 1720, shortly after Rysbrack arrived in London. Maybe he came over for a commission, as the Netherlands is where he was from. It may have been William Finch who commissioned it, his father's second son. By 1774, this bust sat at the foot of Burley-on-the-Hill's Great Staircase, part of the Finch family's Rutland estate. The family owned it until 1999. According to the Dictionary of National Biography, Daniel Finch was tall and thin with dark skin. His serious demeanor earned him nicknames like Don Diego and Don Dismal from his contemporaries. Rysbrack was born in Antwerp in 1694 and trained in the Netherlands before working in Britain for most of his life. He was one of the country's top sculptors during the first half of the 18th century, specializing in portraits and monuments. Although he never visited Italy, many of his works are clearly influenced by classical designs like this bust. This object is located in The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Galleries' case SWAL in Sculpture, Room 22. It's part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative that scans fully printable sculptures for the public to access for free. If you have interesting items, email stw@myminifactory.com to contribute.