Height: 19cm (7.5in)
Cast by the art founders Elkington & Co. Inscribed on the front of the integral base ‘Edward R&I.’ in facsimile of the king’s signature. Signed to the reverse ‘Sydney March Sc / Elkington / London 1901 & Co. London’
The present bust, cast by the art founders Elkington with whom March was closely associated at the turn of the 20th century, derives from March’s commission from Edward VII (1841-1910) for a Coronation bust for Windsor Castle in white marble. An electro-form (bronze patinated copper on clay) of this model was presented to the National Portrait Gallery by the chairman of trustees of the N.P.G., Harold Dillon-Lee, 17th Viscount Dillon, in 1924.
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Sydney March (1876–1968) was the second of nine children, eight of whom became artists; Edward (1873-1941), Percival (b.1878), Frederick (b.1881), Dudley (1881-1962), Elsie (1884-1974), Walter (b.1889) and Vernon (1891-1930). Originally from Yorkshire, the March family moved to London in 1890’s when Sydney enrolled at the Royal Academy Schools and where he was awarded the first prize medal for a model of a statue or group. Between 1906 and 1932, he exhibited thirteen times at the R.A., primarily portrait busts, statuettes, and equestrian statues.
The March siblings established their own sculpture studio at Goddendene, Kent, in 1901. Sydney also worked with the art founders Elkington, and was responsible for royal portraits, including Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra and George V, and for producing figures, busts and statues of leading figures of the day. In the early 1920‘s the March studio was honoured with a visit by members of the Royal Family. Sydney’s public works include statues of Colonel Bevington (Tooley Street, London Bridge, 1911) and Lord Kitchener (Calcutta, 1914; Khartoum, 1921, removed to Royal School of Military Engineering, Chatham, 1958). Among his portrait busts were Cecil Rhodes, Sir John French. March also executed a number of war memorials including Bromley Parish Church (1921), Lewes, East Sussex, the Diamond War Memorial, Derry (1925), the United Empire Loyalists Memorial (Hamilton, Ontario, 1929). Following the death of Vernon March in 1930, Sydney and his siblings completed the Canadian National War Memorial at Ottawa.