Life John Gibson (sculptor)

1 life

1.1 life
1.2 education
1.3 rome
1.4 death

life
early life

detail of statue of william huskisson john gibson in pimlico gardens, london.

gibson born near conwy, wales, father market gardener. when 9 years old family on point of emigrating america, mother put stop plan on arrival @ liverpool, settled, , gibson sent school. became fascinated displays in windows of city s print shops. painter , printseller john turmeau lent him drawings , plaster casts copy.

education

at age of fourteen, gibson apprenticed firm of cabinet-makers. took violent dislike work, however, , managed have articles bought out monumental masons samuel , thomas franceys. while apprenticed franceys brothers gibson came attention of historian william roscoe, whom executed terracotta bas-relief in liverpool museum. roscoe gave gibson access library @ allerton, means became acquainted designs of great italian masters.

sleeping shepherd boy (1824)

a cartoon (now in liverpool museum) of fall of angels marked period. studied anatomy, lessons provided gratuitously medical man, , gained introductions families of refinement , culture in liverpool. roscoe excellent guide protegée, pointing greeks examples sculptor. gibson here found true vocation. basso rilievo of psyche carried zephyrs result. sent royal academy, john flaxman, recognizing merits, gave excellent place. again became unsettled. conceived wish further artistic education in rome, , first step goal went go london; there received conflicting advice flaxman , francis legatt chantrey, former urging him go rome highest school of sculpture in world, latter maintaining london him.

rome

he arrived in rome in october 1817, @ comparatively late age first visit. there generously received antonio canova, whom had introductions, venetian sculptor putting not experience in art purse @ english student s service. time, though designs show fire , power of imagination in no teaching missed, gibson had had no instruction, , had studied @ no academy. in rome first became acquainted rules , technicalities of art. canova introduced him academy supported austria, , first sense of deficiencies in common matters of practice depressing him. saw italian youths excelling in drawing of figure. tables turned. first work in marble, sleeping shepherd boy, completed in 1824.

gibson launched, , distinguished patrons, sent canova, made way studio in via fontanella. aim purity of character , beauty of form. declined prettiness of canova, , if did not approach masculine strength of bertel thorvaldsen, more once surpassed him in quality. classic in feeling , aim, here habit of observation enabled him achieve grace beyond reach of mere imitator. subjects gleaned free actions of italian people noticed on walks, , afterwards given such mythological names best fitted them. girl kissing child on shoulder became nymph , cupid; woman helping child foot on hand on lap, bacchante , faun; amazon thrown horse, 1 of original productions, taken accident witnessed female rider in circus; , hunter , dog result of street scene.

death

gibson elected r.a. in 1836, , bequeathed property , contents of studio royal academy, marbles , casts open public of 2005. died @ rome on 7 january 1866 , buried in protestant cemetery there.