Peter Turnerelli

Peter Turnerelli (c.1772–1839) was an Irish-born sculptor of Italian descent working in Britain in the early 19th century.

He was born in Belfast, the son of Iacomo (James) Turnerelli, a sculptor, whose own father had left Italy as a refugee, despite being landed gentry in the Lake Como region.

Peter initially studied for the priesthood, at Saul's Court under Father Thomas Betagh, but following the death of his mother in 1792 the family moved again, to London the following year.

He continued his studies on returning to London, also receiving tutorship from Peter Francis Chenu, and received his first commissions that year when Lord Heathfield asked him to sculpt busts of Sir Francis Drake and General Eliott.

In 1797 (before the official end of his own studies), he had been given the enormously prestigious role as art tutor to the royal princesses, apparently at the request of Sir Thomas Lawrence and Benjamin West.