(b London, 11 Aug 1737; d London, 3 April 1823). Sculptor, son of (1) Joseph Francis Nollekens. Showing an early talent for modelling, he was apprenticed to Peter Scheemakers (ii) in 1750. From 1758 he frequented the private gallery in Whitehall, London, made available to artists by its owner, Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. Having won a distinguished number of premiums at the Society of Arts (1759–62), Joseph went to study in Rome, arriving there in August 1762. He found work with Bartolomeo Cavaceppi and turned to restoring and copying from the Antique. He carved copies of Cavaceppi’s Boy on a Dolphin (e.g. c. 1766; Burghley House, Cambs) for several English Grand Tourists and made his first portrait busts, including David Garrick (1764; Althorp House, Northants), Laurence Sterne (1766; London, N.P.G.) and Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Rome, Accad. N. S Luca). With his reputation and a small fortune established, he returned to England in 1770. Elected ARA in 1771 and RA the following year, he exhibited at the Royal Academy, London, most years until 1816. In 1774 he married Mary, daughter of Justice Saunders Welch; through her he met Samuel Johnson, whose portrait (plaster, 1777; e.g. Lichfield, Samuel Johnson Birthplace Mus.) was said by Sir Francis Chantrey to be the finest Nollekens ever made.

Part of the Nollekens family

• Nollekens, Joseph
  • Caribbean Islands, §II, 2(ii): Western cultures: Painting, graphic arts and sculpture
  • England, §XV, 1: Art education, before 1768
  • Nollekens
  • collaboration
    • Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, §2(iii): Working methods and technique: Collaboration and studio organization
  • copies
    • Baily, Edward Hodges
  • patrons and collectors
    • Caulfeild, James
    • Dalton, Richard
    • England, §XII, 4: Patronage, c 1700–c 1800
    • Erotic art, §II: Historiography and collections
    • Garrick, David
    • Russell: (3) Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford
    • Wales, §VIII: Patronage, collecting and dealing
    • Weddell, William
    • Williams-Wynn, Sir Watkin, 4th Baronet of Wynnstay
  • personal collection
    • Giambologna, §II, 3: Patrons, collectors and connoisseurs
    • Modello, §II: Sculpted
    • Terracotta, §II, 2(i)(a): History and uses in the Western world: Sculpture
  • teachers
    • Lennox: (2) Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and Lennox
  • works
    • Allegrain: (2) Christophe-Gabriel Allegrain
    • Bust, §IV: Rococo and Neo-classical
    • Bust, §V: Modern
    • England, §IV, 3: Sculpture, c 1660–c 1830
    • Erotic art, §I, 1: Ancient cultures
    • London, §V, 2(ii)(b): Westminster Abbey: Sculpture, 1511 and later
    • Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, §1(iv)(b): The Carceri, and architectural and design commissions, 1760–69
    • Wales, §IV: Sculpture