Lot 129: Benjamin Edward Spence, English (1822-1866) A mid 19th Century white marble statue of a Woman

the classically dressed barefoot figure standing by a tree stump, her head turned down looking at a dove which she holds in her left hand, the other hand feeding the bird, her hair held back from her face with ribbons, raised on a naturalistically shaped base, signed to back of tree stump B.E SPENCE FECIT ROME and dated 1848, 25cm wide, 81cm high (9.5" wide, 31.5" high)

Benjamin Edward Spence was the son of William Spence who was an old friend of John Gibson. It is thought that it was Gibson who persuaded William to send his son to Italy to study sculpture. Benjamin Edward Spence went to Italy and worked in Wyatt's studio. After Wyatt's death he took over his studio and remained in Rome for most of his working life. He specialized in classical and biblical subjects.