Sir Francis Chantrey

A painter, army officer and eminent Royal Academician, George Jones (1786–1869) enjoyed a close friendship with the sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey (1781–1841). Britain's portrait sculptor of choice at the peak of his career, Chantrey is most celebrated for works such as his busts of Sir Walter Scott and John Horne Tooke, his statue of James Watt, the equestrian bronze of Sir Thomas Munro in India, and The Sleeping Children in Lichfield Cathedral. Originally published in 1849, this book is an affectionate tribute to the man and his work, featuring also a selection of his letters to Jones, the engraver Charles Turner, and other correspondents. Whereas Jones's patriotism led him to enlist, Chantrey's was reflected in his enthusiasm for the advancement and promotion of his country's art: his generous bequest to the Royal Academy allowed for the purchase of numerous works of British art, now held by the Tate.