Albert Toft (3 June 1862 – 18 December 1949) was a British

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

. Toft's career was dominated by public commemorative commissions in bronze, mostly single statues of military or royal figures. The

Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria was officially celebrated on 22 June 1897 to mark the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. Queen Victoria was the first British monarch ever to celebrate a Diamond ...

in 1897,

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

to 1902, and then World War I to 1918, provided plentiful commissions. The ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' describes Toft as one of the major figures of the "New Sculpture" following on from William

Hamo Thornycroft Sir William Hamo Thornycroft (9 March 185018 December 1925) was an English sculptor, responsible for some of London's best-known statues, including the statue of Oliver Cromwell outside the Palace of Westminster. He was a keen student of classi ...

and

George Frampton Sir George James Frampton, (18 June 1860 – 21 May 1928) was a British sculptor. He was a leading member of the New Sculpture movement in his early career when he created sculptures with elements of Art Nouveau and Symbolism, often combining ...

. Toft described his work as 'Idealist' but he also said of himself that "to become an idealist you must necessarily first be a realist." His father was a notable modeller in ceramics, and his brother was the landscape artist Joseph

Alfonso Toft Alfonso Toft (Birmingham 1866–1964), was a British landscape artist. He was the son of Charles Toft (1832–1901) and was born in the Birmingham suburb of Handsworth. He came from a family of Staffordshire pottery artists. His father was a pr ...

Biography

Toft was born in Handsworth, then in

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

, and now a suburb of Birmingham. His parents were

Charles Toft Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

(1832–1909) and Rosanna Reeves. His father was a senior modeller at

Mintons Mintons was a major company in Staffordshire pottery, "Europe's leading ceramic factory during the Victorian era", an independent business from 1793 to 1968. It was a leader in ceramic design, working in a number of different ceramic bodies, ...

, and then the chief modeller at

Wedgwood Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...

pottery. He had also taught modelling at

Birmingham School of Art The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Faculty of Arts, Design a ...

for some years to 1873. Nottingham Memorial Park Victoria 0392

Toft trained at Wedgwood, and attended art schools in

Hanley, Staffordshire Hanley is one of the Federation of Stoke-on-Trent, six towns that, along with Burslem, Longton, Staffordshire, Longton, Fenton, Staffordshire, Fenton, Tunstall, Staffordshire, Tunstall and Stoke-upon-Trent, amalgamated to form the City of Stoke ...

and

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

. In 1881 he won a scholarship to study sculpture at the

South Kensington Schools The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...

under Professor

Édouard Lantéri Édouard Lantéri (31 October 1848 – 22 December 1917) was a French-born British sculptor and medallist whose romantic French style of sculpting was seen as influential among exponents of New Sculpture. His name is also frequently spelle ...

. He received silver medals in his second and third years. From 1885 onwards Toft exhibited at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

and some of his most notable works exhibited at the Royal Academy included ''Fate-Led'' (1890, now at

Walker Art Gallery The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England outside London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group. History of the Gallery The Walker Art Gallery's collection ...

), ''The Sere and Yellow Leaf'' (1892), ''Spring'' (1897, now at

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BM&AG) is a museum and art gallery in Birmingham, England. It has a collection of international importance covering fine art, ceramics, metalwork, jewellery, natural history, archaeology, ethnography, local ...

), ''The Spirit of Contemplation'' (1901;

Laing Art Gallery The Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, is located on New Bridge Street West. The gallery was designed in the Baroque style with Art Nouveau elements by architects Cackett & Burns Dick and is now a Grade II listed building. It ...

, Newcastle) and ''The Metal Pourer'' (1915). In 1915 his sculpture ''The Bather'' was purchased using the Royal Academy's

Chantrey Fund Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey (7 April 1781 – 25 November 1841) was an English sculptor. He became the leading portrait sculptor in Regency era Britain, producing busts and statues of many notable figures of the time. Chantrey's most notable w ...

. His 1888 bust of

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

for the

National Liberal Club The National Liberal Club (NLC) is a London private members' club, open to both men and women. It was established by William Ewart Gladstone in 1882 to provide club facilities for Liberal Party campaigners among the newly enlarged electorate f ...

was modelled from life and acclaimed as one of the best. In 1900 Toft received a bronze medal at the

Universal Exhibition A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...

in Paris. He created monuments to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

for Leamington Spa, Nottingham, and South Shields, and to

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

in Birmingham and Warwick. He designed the coronation medal of

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

and Queen Mary (1911) and a statuette of

W. S. Penley William Sydney Penley (19 November 1851 – 11 November 1912) was an English actor, singer and comedian who had an early success in the small role of the Foreman in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Trial by Jury''. He later achieved wider fame as produc ...

playing

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot inc ...

for

Royal Doulton Royal Doulton is an English ceramic and home accessories manufacturer that was founded in 1815. Operating originally in Vauxhall, London, and later moving to Lambeth, in 1882 it opened a factory in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in the centre of Engl ...

(1913). He also published a book, ''Modelling and Sculpture'' in 1911, which was reprinted in 1949. He made a series of war memorials, starting with the South African War Memorial in Cardiff (1910), and then many after the First World War, including the

Royal Fusiliers War Memorial The Royal Fusiliers War Memorial is a memorial in London, dedicated to the members of the Royal Fusiliers killed in the World Wars, Russian Civil War and subsequent conflicts, along with members of a number of London Regiment battalions kille ...

in London (1922), and four statues for the Birmingham Hall of Memory (1923–24). In 1891 Toft was elected to the

Art Workers Guild The Art Workers' Guild is an organisation established in 1884 by a group of British painters, sculptors, architects, and designers associated with the ideas of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. The guild promoted the 'unity of a ...

and in 1938 he was elected a fellow to the

Royal Society of British Sculptors The Royal Society of Sculptors is a British charity established in 1905 which promotes excellence in the art and practice of sculpture. Its headquarters are a centre for contemporary sculpture on Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London. It ...

. He died in

Worthing Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Hov ...

Public monuments and memorials

Other works

* Two figures for the Union Assurance war memorial * Memorial to

Charles Swinnerton Heap Charles Swinnerton Heap (10 April 1847 – 11 June 1900) was an English organist, pianist, composer and conductor. Life Heap was born in Birmingham in 1847 and educated at the town's King Edward VI School, where he studied the organ under Walt ...

, unveiled 1901, relocated to Walsall Town Hall in 1905. * Bronze study of the actress

Ellaline Terriss Mary Ellaline Terriss, Lady Hicks (born Mary Ellaline Lewin, 13 April 1871 – 16 June 1971), known professionally as Ellaline Terriss, was a popular British actress and singer, best known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Sh ...

, 1901, held in a private collection. * ''Children of the Sculptor'', 1904, this study by Toft of three of his children is held in a private collection. * ''The Spirit of Contemplation'', 1906,

. * ''The Bather'', 1915,

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

, London, on loan from the Tate Gallery. * Tomb effigy in marble of Sir John Robinson, 1930,

St Anne's Church, Worksop St. Anne's Church, Worksop is an Anglican parish church in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. History The church was built in 1911 by the ...

* Bust of

Frank Brangwyn Sir Frank William Brangwyn (12 May 1867 – 11 June 1956) was a Welsh artist, painter, watercolourist, printmaker, illustrator, and designer. Brangwyn was an artistic jack-of-all-trades. As well as paintings and drawings, he produced des ...

, Amgueddfa Cymru Caerdydd National Museum of Wales, Cardiff * ''Maternity'', held in a private collection, this work is said to show the influence of the Lantéri-Dalou tradition. * ''Fate-led'',

, Liverpool.

Gallery

Image:Holborn Toft.jpg, Royal Fusiliers War Memorial, Holborn, London Image:Birmingham - Hall of memory 7.JPG, The Nursing Service, Birmingham Hall of Memory. Image:Birmingham - Hall of memory 6.JPG, The Air Force, Birmingham Hall of Memory. Image:Birmingham - Hall of memory 4.JPG, The Royal Navy, Birmingham Hall of Memory. Image:Birmingham - Hall of memory 3.JPG, The Army, Birmingham Hall of Memory. Image:EB1911 Plate IV. v24, pg.505, Fig 7.jpg,

Antigone In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & Roma ...

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...

, ed. 1911, vol. 24, pg. 505, Plate IV. Image:Toft-spirit-of-contemplation-statue-vbig.jpg, ''The Spirit of Contemplation'' File:Saint George statue for London Joint City and Midland Bank war memorial.jpg, Saint George statue for London Joint City and Midland Bank war memorial File:Recording Angel statue for London Joint City and Midland Bank war memorial.jpg, Recording Angel statue for London Joint City and Midland Bank war memorial

References

* Modelling And Sculpture by Albert Toft, Seeley, Service & Co. Limited London, 1949—A Full Account of the Various Methods and Processes Employed in These Arts

External links

*
Toft on The Victorian WebNational Archives file
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toft, Albert 1862 births 1949 deaths 19th-century British sculptors 19th-century English male artists 20th-century British sculptors 20th-century English male artists English male sculptors People from Handsworth, West Midlands Sibling artists