Patience Lovell Wright

(b. 1725, Oyster Bay, New York, New York – d. March 23, 1786, London, England )

Gender: F

Patience Lovell (1725-1786) was born at Oyster Bay, New York, into a Quaker family. In 1748 she married Joseph Wright, a barrel-maker. After he died in 1769 she worked, together with her sister Rachel, to support her family by creating portrait busts in wax. After their waxworks in Manhattan was destroyed by fire in June 1771, they removed to London, where she benefited from the support of Benjamin Franklin. She was patronised by George III and sculpted him and other members of the royal family and the nobility (including George, 1st Lord Lyttelton), but fell from favour because of her support for the American revolutionaries.

Also known as:

Patience Wright (née Lovell)

Please note that all dates and location information are provisional, initially taken from the library and archive catalogues. As our section editors continue to work through the material we will update our database and the changes will be reflected across the edition.

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