'Harlequin' and 'Columbine'

This pair of lead garden statues was purchased to replace similar statues as part of the restoration of Wrest Park. Harlequin and Columbine stand one foot in front of the other with both of their faces turned to the side. In 2012, the statues were installed in the Old Dairy as part of a new sculpture gallery. Cheere was the most prolific creator of lead garden sculpture in Britain. In 1737, he purchased the Hyde Park Corner yard in London from the VanNost family of leadworkers and built on their success in creating a fashion for lead statuary, catering both to rococo and neo-classical tastes. Henry, Duke of Kent, began collecting sculpture for his new gardens at Wrest from about 1705, and his heirs continued to add to the collection throughout the 18th century.