The present pair of busts belongs to a genre of European sculpture commonly referred to as ‘moor’ or ‘blackamoor’ busts. They were created predominantly between the 17th and 19th centuries, particularly in Italy, with many surviving examples coming from Venice. Rendered with varying degrees of realism, they depict often anonymous people of African descent in a highly stylised and stereotypical manner. Such sculptures typically exoticise their subjects by portraying them in lavish, ornate clothing and jewellery. ‘Blackamoor’ busts were often sculpted in pairs and intended to decorate the homes of Europe’s art-collecting elite. The 17th and 18th centuries saw their popularity surge – a trend inextricably linked to the intensification of the transatlantic slave trade and colonial expansion during this period.
The present pair of busts is stylistically comparable to another pair of standing figures, known as the ‘Champalimaud Moors’ sold at Christie’s (The Champalimaud Collection, Christie’s, London, 6-7 July 2005, lot 22). Both pairs of sculptures employ painted plaster for the faces of the figures, a more unusual material for the period, alongside the more commonly used gilt-bronze, alabaster and marble.
It is highly likely these busts were acquired by Sir Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne, whom in 1868 purchased the grand London residence 22 Arlington Street, now known as Wimborne House, which overlooks Green Park in St James’s and is adjacent to the Ritz Hotel. Famed for hosting extravagant soirees and parties, Ivor Guest ensured the interiors matched the calibre of its glamorous guests. The lavish interiors by William Kent and Owen Jones were modernised and adapted by Wimborne who employed George Trollope & Sons to decorate the house in the most fashionable style incorporating continental and contemporary furniture, Chinese and European porcelain and Old Master pictures. Indeed the pair of regal busts encapsulate the elegance of 22 Arlington Street, as seen in the 1937 painting Chamber Music at Wimborne House of the ballroom by Sir John Lavery (Private Collection), which depict the busts supported by the pair of Italian scagliola columns (lot 323). Later the pair are pictured in Ashby St Ledgers Manor, the Northamptonshire residence of the Guest family, acquired in 1903 by the 1^st Baron’s son, Ivor Churchill Guest, 1^st Viscount Wimborne. The younger Wimborne went about modernising the home, employing Sir Edwin Lutyens to enlarge and beautify the residence. Whilst many new works were acquired during this period, the busts were transferred from London, and placed in the New Dining room. Later, in 2004, the regal pair were once again photographed at Ashby St Ledgers, now in ‘The 'Music Room' – the sculptures’ continued pride of place within the homes of four generations of the family attests to their enduring appeal and significance within the Wimborne collection.