Head-and-shoulders classical-style marble bust, on a round socle. The sitter's head, his hair brushed back, is turned a little to his left, looking slightly upward. A robe is draped loosely round the neck, folding over itself over the left shoulder.

This item was purchased for the Museum through Spink's by Sir James Caird, on 3 July 1933 as part of lot 40 in a Christie's sale. The whole lot (price £5 - 10 shillings) included its related composite marble pedestal, from which it has since become separated, and a similar bust of Charles James Fox by Frederico Nicoli (SCU0019).

Pitt was the younger son of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, and an even greater statesman than his father. Born in the 'Year of Victories' he became Prime Minister of Britain in 1783 at the age of 24, and remained so with only brief interruption until his early death in January 1806. This came partly from exhaustion as Britain's war leader against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France for the previous 13 years. Nelson, who often conferred with him when in London, called him 'the greatest Minister this country ever had and the honestest man'.

Nollekens (1737-1823) was born in London, his father being a painter from Antwerp, and was initially a pupil of Scheemakers, also an Antwerp expatriate, before training in Rome. He subsequently became a prolific and highly regarded sculptor in London, being elected RA in 1772. His main clientele were the Whig aristocracy, and he had a particular reputation for portrait busts. He did two very well-regarded ones of Charles James Fox from life of which he produced many copies, and also of Pitt, calling both his 'stock pieces'. As Pitt refused to sit for him, however, this one was done post mortem, from a death mask. Nollekens - or rather his studio - was said to have made 74 marble versions of the Pitt bust and 600 plaster casts at 6 guineas each. It was also the basis of his statue of Pitt (1812), made for Cambridge University for £4000 including the pedestal. The present example was obtained as 'after Nollekens' and is quite possibly one of the 74 copies mentioned.