{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O72896"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72896/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM7339/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM7339/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM7339","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O72896/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O72896","accessionNumber":"252-1904","objectType":"Bust","titles":[{"title":"Eleanor Watt (d. 1904)","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Although this marble portrait bust is dated 1861, the sitter recorded in her will that it was 'done by Macdonald at Rome in the year 1859'. Mrs Watt's bequest to the Museum also included a number of Japanese bronzes, together with items of lacquer work, enamel and porcelain. The Museum wanted this bust too, for as 'a nucleus is being formed of portraits, busts, etc. of benefactors to the Museum . . . a place could be found for exhibiting them together.'\n\nLawrence Macdonald (1799-1878) was a Scottish sculptorwho trained in Edinburgh, but spent most of his adult life living and working in Rome. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy in London, and at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. He also showed works at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Prince Albert was one of his patrons, and he executed ideal sculpture for Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.","physicalDescription":"Middle-aged figure, the hair fastened loosely in a knot behind and bound with an ivy-wreath, the shoulders draped in classical fashion. On circular moulded base;.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Macdonald, Lawrence","id":"A6135"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"AAT25181"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"marble","id":"AAT11443"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Marble","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2006AM7339"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES340872"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bust","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Rome","id":"x29106"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1859-1861","earliest":"1859-01-01","latest":"1861-12-31"},"association":{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"},"note":"begun 1859, dated 1861"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Eleanor Watt","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"67","unit":"cm","qualifier":"with socle","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'L.MACDONALD.FECIT.ROMÆ. 1861'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"signed on the truncation at the back"}],"objectHistory":"Although the present piece is dated 1861, the sitter recorded in her will that it was 'done by Macdonald at Rome in the year 1859'. Mrs Watt's bequest to the Museum included a number of Japanese bronzes, together with items of lacquer work, enamel and porcelain. Documentation relating to its acquisition records that the bust was 'characteristic of the period...we would also like to have the bust, as a nucleus is being formed of portraits, busts, &c of benefactors to the Museum. Somewhere, in the new building, a place could be found for exhibiting them together'.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Bust, marble, representing Eleanor Watt, by Lawrence Macdonald, Scottish, Rome made, 1859-1861","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bilbey, Diane with Trusted, Marjorie, British Sculpture 1470 to 2000. A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2002, 522 p., ISBN 1-85177-395-9."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. <u>In</u>: <u>List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1904, Arranged According to the Dates of  Acquisition with Appendix and Indices</u>. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1908, p. 47"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gunnis, R., <u>Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851</u>, (revised edition, first published London 1953), London, 1968, p. 249"}],"production":"Begun 1859","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Watt, Eleanor","id":"N7801"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["252-1904"],"accessionNumberNum":"252","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1904,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-23","recordCreationDate":"2003-01-13","availableToBook":true}}