Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (1804-1881) Prime Minister

Location

Country: Chile
City: Santiago
Place: British Embassy

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli is most often depicted with a small amount of facial hair in the centre of his upper lip and a goatee beard, which extends up towards his lower lip. So this marble bust, showing him clean shaven but for a neat goatee beard beneath his chin, is unusual. However, the bust does include the curl of hair, high on Disraeli’s forehead, which features in many of his portraits.

Disraeli was a popular subject for both painted portraits and sculpted busts, made during his lifetime and after his death. The Government Art Collection also includes marble busts of the former Prime Minister by John Adams-Acton and attributed to Charles Bell Birch (1832-1892), and a terracotta bust by Count Gleichen (1833-1891). Frequently multiple versions of a bust would be made. This work by R. T. Smyth is unusual as it is the only known bust of its kind. It appears to be a moderately successful bust by a little-known sculptor, only one version of which was made, and that in itself makes this an interesting portrait.

People

Benjamin, Earl of Beaconsfield Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Places

Subjects

male portrait, beard, man, 19th century costume, bow tie, Earl, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Member of Parliament, Prime Minister

Materials & Techniques

marble, bust (as object name), marble bust

Artist

R T Smyth

Title

Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (1804-1881) Prime Minister

Date

1884

Medium

Marble bust

Dimensions

height: 46.00 cm, width: 33.00 cm, depth: 16.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Christopher Wood Gallery, November 1979

Inscription

verso: R. T. SMYTH / 1884

Provenance

With Christopher Wood Gallery, London; from whom purchased by the Department of the Environment in November 1979

GAC number

14845