Monument to Sir John Harpur, 4th Bt. (1680-1741) and his wife Catherine Crewe, Lady Harpur (1682 – 1745)
attributed to Sir Henry Cheere, 1st Baronet (London 1703 - London 1781)
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
1741 - 1746
Materials
Carrara marble, veined yellow marble, black and gold marble and grey, dove marble
Order this imageCollection
Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
NT 292768
Summary
Monument to Sir John Harper and his wife Catherine Crew in the Church of Calke Abbey This monument is a tour de force of fine carving as would be expected of Henry Cheere. Two fine busts of John Harper and his wife are set on decorated socle on either side of a sarcophagus surmounted by a fine urn with heraldic shield and an achievement bull above. Beneath the busts, which are set on a cornice, is a fine frieze with the dedicated inscribed tablet stating the merits of Sir John and his wife, and beneath this are three putties heads in mourning. Fine scroll work is on either side of the tablet and fine consul work supports the tablet beneath. The whole monument is decorated on every moulding with an array of waterleaf, arabesque, acanthus, etc. To further add decoration, there appears to be no less than four different stones. Carrara marble of course for the busts and the tablet, and much of the surrounding carved work, veined yellow marble behind the tablet, black and gold marble for the sarcophagus and urn, and finally for the achievement and set behind the putties heads, a pyramidal base stone of grey, dove marble.
Provenance
Comissioned on the death of Sir John Harper and erected in the Church of Calke Abbey in 1746.
Makers and roles
attributed to Sir Henry Cheere, 1st Baronet (London 1703 - London 1781), sculptor