plaque
- Museum number
- 1960,0401.1
- Description
-
Oval carved ivory plaque attributed to David le Marchand (1674-1726); depicts full-face portrait of man wearing wig and draped armour believed to be George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal (?1693-1778); backed by Whatman paper.
- Production date
-
1710-1720 (circa)
-
1828 (paper)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 19.30 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- This portrait is of exceptional size, and its background has been carved wafer thin, probably as a demonstration of virtuosity.
On file is a letter dated 24 February 1975 to Hugh Tait from Charles Avery at the V&A which says inter alia: 'I do not know if it is of any interest, but I have found in our old files, a photograph showing, I think, your recently-acquired large medallion which is inscribed in Miss Longhurst's hand as belonging to: Mrs Collier, Font Hill, Lansdown, Bath. She adds "signed on back". Whether the latter remark is simply a mistake, or whether it perhaps refers to an inscription in ink that has since disappeared, one cannot be sure. I do not recollect that your ivory has any trace of such a signature.'
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1996-1997 2 Oct-5 Jan, Leeds, City Art Gallery, David le Marchand 1674-1726 An Ingenious Man for carving in Ivory
1996 23 May-15 Sep, London, British Museum, David le Marchand 1674-1726 An Ingenious Man for carving in Ivory
1996 7 Mar-6 May, Edinburgh, National Gallery of Scotland, David le Marchand 1674-1726 An Ingenious Man for carving in Ivory
- Condition
- Long vertical crack on the left side (front),with tape over the same crack on reverse. Small vertical crack on armour and small horizontal crack at the neck.
- Acquisition date
- 1960
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1960,0401.1
