Sir William Cusack Smith

This bust in wax depicts the first Baron Sir William Cusack Smith. It is thought to be the work of Edwin Lyon, a sculptor and modeller in wax who exhibited at the British Institution in 1827. The work is dated 1834, when the sculptor was in Dublin.

Wax portraits had become popular during the 18th century in Britain, but some artists continued the tradition in this material during the early 19th century, especially before the invention of photography. They were often modelled from the life; a mould could be made from this initial model, from which further copies could be cast. The waxes were small and portable, and the nature of the material meant that they were extremely naturalistic. Sometimes they were coloured, and extra items added, such as textiles, seed pearls or coloured glass, to increase the life-like appearance of the portrayal.