| Description Of Item | This plaster bust presents a formal portrayal of Alexander Monro primus. He is depicted wearing a wig, in contemporary dress (in contrast to the classical garments of some of the other busts in the collection) and it is possible that his outer garment is his academic robe.
It is possible that this bust is a copy of John Flaxman's marble bust of Monro which is held in the collections of the University of Edinburgh. John Flaxman (1755 - 1826) was a sculptor, decorative designer and illustrator whose most famous work was the neo-classical Fury of Athamas.
Both Flaxman's bust of Monro and the plaster bust in the College's collection display considerable similarities with Allan Ramsay's portrait of Monro which is in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland. This portrait was also replicated as an engraving by J. Basire. This engraving subsequently appeared on the frontispiece of the 1781 edition of The Works of Alexander Monro, which was edited by Monro's son, Alexander Monro secundus. In both images, particularly the portrait, the depiction of Monro, including the fine details such as the folds in his coat and necktie, are highly similar if not identical to those depicted in the bust. Monro also appears in the roundel portraits in the Great Hall in a depiction which shows some similarities with this bust.
Artist: Unknown |