The sculpture collection of the second Marquis of Rockingham at Wentworth Woodhouse

Apart from his patronage of George Stubbs, the second Marquis of Rockingham has been recognised almost exclusively for his patronage of Joseph Nollekens in the 1770's. This thesis attempts to correct such a narrow view and demonstrates that the Marquis was engaged in widespread patronage of sculptors in Italy and in England long before he met Nollekens, and that he established a sculptural environment at Wentworth Woodhouse and at Grosvenor Square which echoed his knowledge of ancient history and his love of the sculpture of Giambologna.

The documentation of his entire collection of sculpture as it stood at the time of the Marquis's death in 1782 is here set out for the first time. The present writer's rediscovery of major items long missing from the collection has facilitated a reconstruction of the original ensemble in Wentworth's Marble Saloon, and adds to the published accounts of Cavaceppi's work for English patrons.

The thesis examines the relationship between Augustan taste and ancient sculpture, and how it affected Rockingham as he experienced sculptural activities in London, Florence and Rome. It examines the extent to which he was fired to outdo his rival, Thomas Strafford, in the number and quality of works commissioned. The degree to which Rockingham responded to and patronised the arts generally is assessed alongside a consideration of biased criticism of him as a man who loved nothing but horses.

The chronological development of the collection is charted, and its reflection of the eighteenth century mania for sculptures of Antinous is discussed. Later additions to the collection after 1782 are also documented.

The published views of nineteenth century and modern commentators are set out in order to reveal the piecemeal and unbalanced nature "of their assessments and offer various reasons for such a critically incomplete picture. -Finally, an assessment of the quality and significance of Rockingham's sculpture collection, both in its day and now, is offered together with a catalogue of works and appendices documenting the original sources.