Magnificent marble statues: British sculpture in the Mansion House

Abstract

The Mansion House, the palatial city residence of the Lord Mayor of London, is home to one of the capital's finest collections of British sculpture from the 18th and 19th centuries. Forming part of the spectacular setting for official functions, as well as the background to busy offices and the home of the Lord Mayor and his family, the sculpture ranges from handsome chimneypieces and elaborate stuccowork wall decorations to heroic single statues of figures from British literature and history. Described by the architectural historian Nicolaus Pevsner as "magnificent marble statues," the sculptures are almost unknown to the general public. Their significance, however, is much greater than as an example of the changing fortunes of Victorian sculpture and of the fluctuating attitudes of the Corporation of London to art patronage. This handbook is a companion volume to "The Harold Samuel Collection. A guide to the Dutch and Flemish pictures at the Mansion House".