Details of Sculptor

Surname

Cheere

Alternative Surname

First Name

William

Initial of Surname

C

Year of Birth/Baptism

Flourished

Year of Death

?c1767

Biographical Details

William appears to have been the son of John Cheere's first wife, Theodosia Maria, who died in 1767 ‘of a broken heart for the death of her father and only son’ (GM 1767, 280). He supplied sculpture to George Washington for Mount Vernon in response to Washington's order, which gave directions not only for the subject matter but also as to size, which was determined by his indented placement for these objects. Washington wrote: 'Directions for the Busts / 4--one of Alexr the Great--another of Julius Caesar-anr of Chs 12 Sweeden & a 4th of the King of Prussia. / N.B.--these are not to exceed 15 Inchs in highth nor 10 in width for brokn Pedimt. / 2 other Busts of Prince Eugene & the Duke of Marlborh-somewhat smallr. 2 Wild Beast-not to exceed 12 Inch in highth nor 18 in lenght. Sundry Small Ornaments for Chimy piece'.
In 1760 he received a shipment costing £12 11s 4d which contained 'A Groupe of Aeneas carrying his Father out of Troy with 4 Statues viz - his Father Anchises, his wife, Creusa, himself and his son Ascanius, [neatly] finished and bronzed with Copper. /Two Groupes, with two Statues each of Bachus & Flora finisht neat, & bronzd w' Coper £2.2 each / Two Ornamented Vases with Faces & festoons of Grape & Vine Leaves &c finished Neat & bronzd w' Coppr The above for ye Chimney Piece-/ Two Lyons after the Antique Lyon's in Italy finished neat & bronzd with Copper £1.5 each. An invoice of William Cheere, dated March 1760 relates to these works.
The tradesman from whom the pieces were purchased sent directions as to how they were to be placed, adding to the above invoice the note: 'this is ye best Ornaments I could possibly make for the Chimney Piece', adding 'of all the wild Beasts as coud be made there is none thought better than the Lyons.' His instructions for displaying the other figures stated that 'the manner of placing them on ye Chimney piece shd be thus. A Group of Flora - Vase - Aeneas - Vase - Group of Bacchus'. He went on to add that: There is no Busts of Alexander ye Great [none at all of Charles 12th of Sweden] Jullius Caesar, King of Prussia, Prince Eugene nor Duke of Marlborough of the Size desired; and to make models would be very Expensive - at least 4 Guineas each. but I can make Busts exactly to the Size wrote for [15 Inches] also very good ones at the rate of 16s. Each of Homer, Virgil, Horace, Cicero, Plato, Aristottle, Seneca, Galens, Vestall, Virgin Faustina, Chaucer, Spencer, Johnson, Shakespear, Beaumont, Fletcher, Milton, Prior, Pope, Congreve, Swift, Addison, Dryden, Locke, Newton'.
The figural groupings and vases were intended to ornament a mantepiece, but the busts may have been for broken segmental overdoors or for mounting on brackets.
John Davis
Literary References: Abbot 1988, 355; Vincent 1988, 169