Admiral Horatio Nelson Commemorative Wax Relief Portrait Bust in Period Frame, Early 19th Century Hand-colored molded wax relief portrait of Admiral Horatio Nelson in left-facing profile, depicted in naval uniform with epaulettes and medal, mounted against a dark ground and inscribed “Nelson” beneath. Housed in a deep canted wooden frame of Georgian character. Early 19th century, likely produced shortly after Nelson’s death in 1805. Overall framed size approximately 6"x7" .
A fine example of the popular commemorative portrait reliefs produced in Britain during the years immediately following Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar, the engagement that secured British naval supremacy during the Napoleonic Wars and elevated Nelson to near-mythic national hero status.
In the wake of the victory and the admiral’s death in action his likeness appeared in a wide range of patriotic and mourning objects including medals, prints, ceramics, Staffordshire figures, and molded wax portrait medallions such as the present example. Examples housed in their original or early frames are increasingly desirable, as many surviving waxes suffer from damage, cracking, or later remounting. The present piece retains attractive period character with age-appropriate surface patina and wear consistent with early nineteenth-century manufacture.
A handsome and evocative relic of the Napoleonic era, appealing to collectors of British naval history, Georgian decorative arts, and Nelson memorabilia. Condition: light expected surface wear and minor irregularities commensurate with age; colors and relief remain well defined; frame with scattered scuffs and abrasions typical of period wood.
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