Lot 1028: Mary Grant, British, 1831-1908 A marble bust of a

Mary Grant, British, 1831-1908 A marble bust of a woman, modelled with a lace hat, her hair tied in a chignon, her gaze to the right, her shoulder and bust wrapped in a coat, on a circular socle, 74cm high Note: Mary Grant was born in Perthshire in 1831, into a well-connected family. Her grandfather was Lord Elgin who acquired the marble sculptures that were part of the frieze of the Parthenon. Her aunt and uncle were Mary Ann Grant and Sir Francis Grant, both artists, the latter being President of the Royal Academy. She took up sculpting in her twenties, and went to Florence to study under Odoardo Fantachiotti and then went to Rome to study under John Gibson. After a period in Paris studying with Michael Mercier she then set up studio in London, working under the guidance of John Foley. Her work includes portrait busts of Queen Victoria, a memorial fountain to Henry Fawcett who campaigned for the cause on Woman's Suffrage and figures for Winchester and Lichfield Cathedrals.