Large Staffordshire Portrait Bust of Queen Caroline, England, circa 1820

An incredibly rare and museum calibre monumental scale English Staffordshire bust of Queen Caroline, wife of King George IV, made in commemoration of his coronation in 1820 or her death in 1821; the glazed pottery body hand-painted in polychrome enamels and gold gilding.

This bust relates to an unpainted white pottery version offered as 'Lot 803' by Sotheby's in the January 24, 2020 "Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors" sale of his personal collection and described as "A Staffordshire White Pearlware Portrait Bust of Caroline of Brunswick, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, circa 1820" and "Caroline Amalie Elisabeth of Brunswick (1768-1821) was the long-suffering consort of her first cousin George (1762–1830), Prince of Wales, and later Prince Regent and King George IV of the United Kingdom. Though her marriage to the playboy prince was an unhappy one she was a popular member of the Royal family and her sudden death in 1821 was met with national feelings of grief and even led to suspicions of poisoning. Her funeral procession resulted with riots in the streets of London. A white earthenware bust of Queen Caroline, 22 inches high, was lent by the collector Henry Willett, Esq., of Brighton, to the Bethnal Green branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1899, no. 66. A colored example of this bust was sold at Christie's London, 15 February 1988, lot 115."