A rare visit to my bank gave me an opportunity to have a good look at the equestrian statue of Charles I which sits in the middle of the roundabout at the top end of Whitehall and must be one of the most difficult works of art in the world to see and appreciate. The statue was commissioned by Charles I’s Lord High Treasurer in 1630 for his country house at Roehampton (the date 1633 is inscribed on the horse’s front foot). It was sold during the civil war to a metalsmith called John Rivet, who instead of breaking it up, hid it, pretended to sell spoons made from it and enabled it to be re-erected in 1675 on a pedestal, now very worn, by Joshua Marshall:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
It is possible to get much closer to another bust of Charles I by Hubert Le Sueur, which is on five year loan to Tate Britain from Pallant House Gallery/ Chichester City Council as part of the Tate’s Walk through British Art displays. It’s remarkable to think that Le Sueur studied in Giambologna’s Florentine workshop.
I must go and see it. Good tip. Charles
yet another wonderful Huguenot artist, who left quite a legacy of work as well as of pupils..