Details of Sculptor

Surname

Andras

Alternative Surname

First Name

Catherine

Initial of Surname

A

Year of Birth/Baptism

1775

Flourished

Year of Death

1860

Biographical Details

She was born in Bristol. As an orphan, she grew up with her three sisters who ran a toy and perfumery business in the city. She is said to have modelled in wax a number of prominent people in Bristol, including John Wesley and the Polish General Kosciuszko (41, 47), before moving to London. There she lodged with Robert Bowyer, the painter and proprietor of the Historic Gallery, who subsequently adopted her. Her first work exhibited at the Royal Academy was a portrait of her adoptive father, shown in 1799 (2). In 1802 she submitted a portrait model of the young Princess Charlotte (10), for which she was awarded the silver palette by the Society of Arts. In 1805 she was asked to model a full-length effigy of Admiral Lord Nelson for Westminster Abbey. This was based on a likeness ad vivum which she had earlier modelled, possibly the one exhibited at the RA in 1801 (6). The effigy was dressed in Nelson’s own clothes. In 1810 she gave her address as 52 Great Titchfield Street and the following year she was at 80 Pall Mall. She exhibited at the Royal Academy until 1824. She died in London. Gunnis owned more than 30 of her works, now in the VAM.
Literary References: Graves 1905-6, 1, 34; Pyke 1973, 5; Pyke 1981, 3; Knox 1998, 90, 95 n31