Lady Augusta Stanley (1822-76): M.6-1977 (original) (raw)

Current Location: Founder's Entrance Hall Upper Landing

Titles

Lady Augusta Stanley (1822-76)

Maker(s)

Sculptor: Theed, William II

Entities

• Bust

Categories

• Sculpture

Description

White marble. Bust.

Notes

History note: The Royal Collection, Windsor Castle; the Very Reverend Albert-Victor Baillie, Dean of Windsor to whom it was sent from Windsor Castle in 1930; after his death in 1955 it came, how exactly is not known, into the hands of the vendor's mother, from whom it was inherited.

Legal notes

Purchased with the Butler Fund

Measurements and weight

Height: 76.2 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1977) byMack, Kathleen M.

Dating

19th Century, Late
Production date: AD 1877 : dated 1877

Note

Lady Stanley (born Lady Augusta Bruce) was a daughter of the Earl of Elgin of the ‘Elgin Marbles’. Having served as lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria’s mother from 1846 until 1861, she became Victoria’s live-in secretary and friend. In December 1863, much to the Queen’s annoyance, she married Arthur Stanley, future Dean of Westminster. Appointed ‘extra woman of the bedchamber’ upon her marriage, Augusta retained close connections with the Queen for the rest of her life, connecting Victoria (then in the depths of her secluded widowhood) to the world. This sensitive posthumous portrait, carved the year after Augusta’s death, was originally in the Royal Collection. It may have been a royal commission given how devastated Queen Victoria was by Augusta’s death, recalling: ‘she was such a help in so many ways, so sympathising, loving and kind, so attached to me and mine, so clever and agreeable, known to so many … It was always a treat to me when she came.’

People, subjects and objects depicted

• Bust
• Stanley, Augusta, Lady

Project

• Sculpture UK

Materials used in production

White marble

Techniques used in production

Carving : White marble, carved

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: 138 preceeds a crown in outline

• Text: 138 LADY AUGUSTA BRUCE,/B: 1822; / M: ARTHUR STANLEY,/ DEAN OF WESTMINSTER,/ 1863:/ D: 1876./____- / W THEED SC,/ LONDON 1877.
• Location: On the back
• Method of creation: Incised

References and bibliographic entries

• Letters of Lady Augusta Stanley, A Young Lady at Court 1849-1863

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.6-1977
Primary reference Number: 31070
External ID: CAM_CCF_M_6_1977
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 29 April 2024 Last processed: Tuesday 13 May 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts