Bust of Sir John Gordon

Apr 20, 2026 - 19:40
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Bust of Sir John Gordon

That William Gordon had purchased Inverbreakie and renamed it.

← Previous revision Revision as of 14:09, 20 April 2026
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==Description and background==
==Description and background==
[[File:Bust of John Gordon of Invergordon by Edmé Bouchardon.jpg|thumb|Bust of John Gordon of Invergordon by Edmé Bouchardon, completed in Rome in 1728.]]
[[File:Bust of John Gordon of Invergordon by Edmé Bouchardon.jpg|thumb|Bust of John Gordon of Invergordon by Edmé Bouchardon, completed in Rome in 1728.]]
The sculpture depicts a young [[Sir John Gordon, 2nd Baronet|Sir John Gordon]]. He was the Prince of Wales's Secretary for Scotland (1745-1751), M.P. for Cromartyshire, and a significant landowner in the town of [[Invergordon]] in the Scottish Highlands.{{Cite web |title=GORDON, Sir John, 2nd Bt. (c.1707-83), of Invergordon, Cromarty. {{!}} History of Parliament Online |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241130220559/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.historyofparliamentonline.org}} The town, previously called Inverbreakie, is named for Gordon's father William, having previously been called Inverbreakie.{{Cite web |last=Cruickshanks |first=Eveline |date=Accessed 20-04-2026 |title=GORDON, Sir William, 1st Bt. (d.1742), of Invergordon, Cromarty, and Dalpholly, Sutherland. |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-william-1742 |website=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org}} Gordon met the French sculptor [[Edmé Bouchardon]] in Rome in 1728 while on his [[Grand Tour]]. Bouchardon was aged 30 and studying at the Académie de France in Rome{{Cite web |last=voltairefoundation |date=2014-02-17 |title=Edmé Bouchardon |url=https://voltairefoundation.wordpress.com/tag/edme-bouchardon/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Voltaire Foundation |language=en}}; Gordon would have been about 20.{{Cite web |title=GORDON, Sir John, 2nd Bt. (c.1707-83), of Invergordon, Cromarty. {{!}} History of Parliament Online |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241130220559/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.historyofparliamentonline.org}} The bust survived a fire at in Invergordon Castle in the 19th century.{{cite web|title=Sir John Gordon, MP|url=https://www.rossandcromartyheritage.org/home/easter-ross-communities/invergordon/invergordon-folk/sir-john-gordon-mp/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401114048/https://www.rossandcromartyheritage.org/home/easter-ross-communities/invergordon/invergordon-folk/sir-john-gordon-mp/|publisher=Ross and Cromarty Heritage|accessdate=30 October 2023|archivedate=1 April 2023|url-status=live}}
The sculpture depicts a young [[Sir John Gordon, 2nd Baronet|Sir John Gordon]]. He was the Prince of Wales's Secretary for Scotland (1745-1751), M.P. for Cromartyshire, and a significant landowner in the town of [[Invergordon]] in the Scottish Highlands.{{Cite web |title=GORDON, Sir John, 2nd Bt. (c.1707-83), of Invergordon, Cromarty. {{!}} History of Parliament Online |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241130220559/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.historyofparliamentonline.org}} The town, previously called Inverbreakie, was renamed by Gordon's father William, who had purchased it.{{Cite web |last=Cruickshanks |first=Eveline |date=Accessed 20-04-2026 |title=GORDON, Sir William, 1st Bt. (d.1742), of Invergordon, Cromarty, and Dalpholly, Sutherland. |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-william-1742 |website=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org}} Gordon met the French sculptor [[Edmé Bouchardon]] in Rome in 1728 while on his [[Grand Tour]]. Bouchardon was aged 30 and studying at the Académie de France in Rome{{Cite web |last=voltairefoundation |date=2014-02-17 |title=Edmé Bouchardon |url=https://voltairefoundation.wordpress.com/tag/edme-bouchardon/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Voltaire Foundation |language=en}}; Gordon would have been about 20.{{Cite web |title=GORDON, Sir John, 2nd Bt. (c.1707-83), of Invergordon, Cromarty. {{!}} History of Parliament Online |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241130220559/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/gordon-sir-john-1707-83 |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.historyofparliamentonline.org}} The bust survived a fire at in Invergordon Castle in the 19th century.{{cite web|title=Sir John Gordon, MP|url=https://www.rossandcromartyheritage.org/home/easter-ross-communities/invergordon/invergordon-folk/sir-john-gordon-mp/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401114048/https://www.rossandcromartyheritage.org/home/easter-ross-communities/invergordon/invergordon-folk/sir-john-gordon-mp/|publisher=Ross and Cromarty Heritage|accessdate=30 October 2023|archivedate=1 April 2023|url-status=live}}


The work was described by Stuart Lochhead, an independent assessor on the [[Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art|Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest]], as remarkable:
The work was described by Stuart Lochhead, an independent assessor on the [[Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art|Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest]], as remarkable:
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