A Copeland Parian bust of Lesbia from Marshall

A Copeland Parian bust of Lesbia from Marshall for the Crystal Palace Art Union. This bust, a companion to the bust of Oenone, was made in two sizes of which this is the smaller. Lesbia was the subject of many poems by Catullus, the first century BC Veronese poet, the poems expressing happy and unhappy love. Lesbia was thought to be Clodia Metelli, an aristocrat married to the consul Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer.

In the depiction Lesbia is shown wearing a necklace and gazing serenely down at a dove which returns her attention. The bust is marked with the name Lesbia, the sculptor Marshall and dated 1859. The socle is marked Crystal Palace Art Union.

The bust is illustrated in the “Parian Phenomenon” page 180 figure 587  and in Robert Copeland’s book “Parian - Copeland’s Statuary Porcelain” page 213, fig B30.

Height 28cm (11”).

Condition: Very good with just some nibbles round the socle.