Charles Towneley

[poliphilo]

Charles Towneley (1733-1805) by Johan Zoffany.
 
Towneley was under the impression that his statues were Greek; we now know they were mainly Roman copies. Near the centre of the composition is the bust of Clytie- possibly a portrait of Mark Antony's daughter Antonia- which Towneley liked to refer to as his "wife". During the anti-catholic Gordon riots, when his London town house was under threat by the mob, Towneley went back inside- at some personal risk- to rescue Clytie. Unlike most connoisseurs Towneley allowed his collection to be viewed by the public. After his death the British Museum bought the collection from the family for £20,000.

Comments

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

Imagine having to dust all that lot. They loved their clutter did the Victorians. Except this guy was earlier than that...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I imagine our Charles could afford a housemaid or two.