Bust of Elizabeth, Duchess of Wellington, 1857

John Gibson RA (1790 - 1866)

RA Collection: Art

Lady Elizabeth Hay (1820-1904) married Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Douro (1807-1884) in 1839 and became Duchess of Wellington when he inherited his father's title in 1852. Gibson initially modelled a clay bust of the Duchess in her London home, Apsley House. When the model was complete a cast was made from it (probably this bust) and sent to Rome, where Gibson executed the finished marble.

For many years Elizabeth acted as Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria. She is depicted in Thomas Jones Barker's 'The Secret of England's Greatness' (1863; National Portrait Gallery), and in Sir E. H. Landseer's 'A Dialogue at Waterloo' (Exh RA 1850: Tate Gallery).

The Queen and Prince Consort requested to view the model for Gibson's bust of Elizabeth at Windsor. Gibson said that their reponse to it "afforded me very great pleasure."