George Child-Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
circa 1830 - circa 1860
Materials
Wax
Measurements
147 x 128 mm; 87 mm (Diameter)
Place of origin
Great Britain
Order this imageCollection
Osterley Park and House, London
NT 772578
Summary
Wax profile portrait of George Child-Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey (1773-1859), depicted at bust length, facing left. In black rectangular lacquer frame, the portrait within a circular gilt-brass frame with a convex glass cover. An Earl’s coronet in gilt-brass set into the lacquer frame at top centre. A contemporary brass suspension ring set into the top. The back of the frame pasted with a printed tribute to the Earl. George Child-Villiers was the elder son of George Bussy Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey and Frances Villiers. He married the wealthy heiress to the Child Bank fortune, Lady Sarah Sophia Fane, on 23 May 1804. Sarah Sophia inherited not only the Child's Bank fortune, estimated at £60,000 a year, but she was also to inherit Osterley Park. George took the additional surname of Child in 1812. He was a keen foxhunter, supporter of horse-racing and horse breeding. He was not an active politician but served as Lord Chamberlain to William IV in 1830 and 1834-5, and as master of the horse to Queen Victoria in 1841-6 and 1852.
Provenance
Label on reverse places the miniature at Middleton Park in 1899. By descent to George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910-1998); given to the National Trust in 1993 by George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910-1998).
Credit line
National Trust Collections (Osterley Park, The Jersey Collection)
Marks and inscriptions
Reverse: ‘In Remembrance/OF ONE WHO NEVER FORGOT HIS FRIENDS,/WHO UNITED THE WARMEST FEELINGS,/AND THE KINDEST HEART,/WITH THE CLEAREST JUDGMENT,/AND THE SOUNDEST SENSE./WHO, THOUGH PARTIAL FROM AFFECTION, WAS YET FREE FROM PREJUDICE,/AND THE MOST JUST AND FAIR MAN THAT EVER LIVED./HE WAS SO HIGH-MINDED AND LIBERAL IN HIS JUDGMENTS,/SO HONEST AND SO TRUE;/AND YET WITH ALL THESE QUALITIES,/SO FREE FROM VANITY, OR ANY LOVE OF DISPLAY,/THAT THOSE ONLY, WHO HAD THE HAPPINESS TO LIVE IN HIS SOCIETY,/COULD FULLY APPRECIATE ALL HIS/GREAT AND GOOD QUALITIES./A NOBLER SPIRIT NEVER DWELT ON EARTH, OR DIGNIFIED/THE CHARACTER OF MAN.’ Reverse right corner: '9' ‘5th E of Jersey’ Reverse top left: 'Countess of Jersey's / Dressing Room / Middleton / 3' '1899 / 23' Reverse, bottom: 'AD 19'