Sir William Sanderson

Isaac Fuller, mid-17th century

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Artist: Isaac Fuller (British, 1606–1672)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 49 × 40 inches (124.5 × 101.6 cm)
Museum: Yale Center for British Art
Rights: CC0 — no rights reserved

Edward Pierce, or Pearce the Younger (ca. 1635–1695), was an architect and sculptor who became the “master mason” or principal contractor for four of Christopher Wren’s churches, and for parts of St. Paul’s Cathedral, reconstructed following the Great Fire of 1666. Equally famous for his busts, Pierce left behind effigies of some of the most notable figures of the period, including John Milton, Oliver Cromwell, and Wren himself. Pierce was also an art collector.

The Roman bust (or replica) that he rests his hand upon alludes to the importance that classical precedents held for artists, but it may also depict an actual object in his collection. Isaac Fuller, an Englishman, is said to have trained in France before traveling to Italy. Based in London for most of his career, Fuller was primarily known for his history paintings and theatrical scenery, though he also maintained a regular practice as a portraitist.

Text: Yale Center for British Art.