Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Carlini, Agostino
CARLINI, AGOSTINO (d. 1790), sculptor and painter, was a native of Genoa, who came to England early in life and became the most celebrated sculptor of his day, distinguished particularly for his drapery. He was one of the original members of the Royal Academy (1769) and succeeded Moser as keeper in 1783. His best-known work is a statue of the notorious Doctor Ward (whose portrait is introduced by Hogarth in plate v. of the ‘Harlot’s Progress’), which he executed for the Society of Arts. It is said that ‘in order to make this statue talked of and seen at the sculptor's studio,’ the doctor allowed him 200l. a year 'to enable him to work at it occasionally till it was finished, and this sum the artist continued annually to receive till his death.’ Other works of his were two statues for Somerset House and the masks on the keystones of the Strand front of that building representing the rivers Tyne, Dee, and Severn; the model of an equestrian statue of George III (exhibited 1769); a figure of ‘Maritime Power’ (1770); one of ‘Plenty’ (1783); and a design made in 1770 for a monument to Alderman Beckford, which was engraved by Bartolozzi. He exhibited five works at the Society of Artists, and eleven at the Royal Academy between 1760 and 1736. In 1776 he exhibited a portrait of a nobleman in oil. He is said to have been indebted to his friend Cipriani for some of his designs. There are some original drawing by him in the British Museum. He died at his house in Carlisle Street, Soho, 16 Aug. 1790. There is an engraving of Carlini with Cipriani and Bartolozzi, by J. R. Smith, after Rigaud.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Nollekens and his Times; Nagler's Künstler-Lexikon; Gent. Mag. 1790; An. Reg. 1768. 1770.]