Waxes and carvings

Among Queen Caroline’s collections at Kensington also hung various waxes, ivory carvings and stone bas reliefs depicting contemporary and historic sitters. Wax portraits were highly fashionable, particularly those by Isaac Gosset, whose work was admired by Queen Caroline. She also encouraged her children to produce their own works of art in this style, and the carving of Emperor Vespasian (9 – 79 AD) (cat. 174), represents a piece created by the 10-year old William, Duke of Cumberland, who turned the wood on a lathe himself.