JOHN EDWARD JONES (DUBLIN 1806-1862 DUBLIN), 1854

The present bust, depicting Queen Victoria in her mid-thirties, represents one of the most important commissions undertaken by the Irish sculptor John Edward Jones. Although the son of a miniature painter, Jones initially trained as an engineer but, by 1840, had changed profession and was working as a sculptor in London. He enjoyed a successful career as a portraitist, exhibiting at the Royal Academies in London and Dublin and sculpting busts of many notable figures of the day including Prince Albert, Napoleon III, Louis-Philippe, King of Holland and the Duke of Wellington.

A model of this composition was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1854, where the piece is described in the catalogue as a ‘Bust of Her Majesty the Queen, now executing in marble, by command, for presentation to Wm. Dargan, Esq.’ (see R.A. catalogue, loc. cit.). It is highly likely that the present lot is the marble referenced in 1854, which was later exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, and presented along with two other busts by Queen Victoria to William Dargan (1799-1867), the Irish engineer and railway pioneer.