Alfred Frank Hardiman (21 May 1891 – 17 April 1949) was an English sculptor. He was born at 17 Orde Hall Street, London, the son of Alfred William Hardiman, silversmith, of Holborn, and his wife, Ada Myhill.

Life

Hardiman won a London County Council Scholarship to the Royal College of Art in 1912, and three years later joined the

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School. After a period as an engineer's draughtsman in the

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during the First World War, Hardiman resumed his studies and in 1920 was awarded the British Prix de Rome scholarship, spending two years at the

British School at Rome The British School at Rome (BSR) is an interdisciplinary research centre supporting the arts, humanities and architecture. History The British School at Rome (BSR) was established in 1901 and granted a UK Royal Charter in 1912. Its mission is " ...

. There he developed his style, a blend of naturalism and classicism influenced by Roman and Etruscan art and early fifth century Greek sculpture. Hardiman's best-known (but also most controversial) work is the

Earl Haig Memorial The Earl Haig Memorial is a bronze equestrian statue of the British Western Front commander Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig on Whitehall in Westminster, London. It was created by the sculptor Alfred Frank Hardiman and commissioned by Parliament in ...

on Whitehall in London. More universally admired are the heraldic lions flanking the main entrance to the City Hall, Norwich, a work which fully epitomises his style. He was appointed consultant sculptor to the building, having worked with one of the architects,

Stephen Rowland Pierce Stephen Rowland Pierce F.R.I.B.A, F.S.A. (1896–1966) was an architect and town planning consultant. In partnership with Charles Holloway James he designed several large British public buildings, including Norwich City Hall. In 1921, Pierce wo ...

, on the Haig Memorial. Hardiman also carved three large stone figures for the outside of the council chamber, and worked with other sculptors on the project including

James Woodford James Arthur Woodford (1893–1976) was an English sculptor. His works include sets of bronze doors for the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Norwich City Hall; the Queen's Beasts, originally made for the Coronation i ...

and Eric Aumonier. Hardiman was elected Associate of the Royal Academy in 1936 and a full Academician in 1944. He became a fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1938 and the following year received their silver medal for his statue of Haig. In 1946 he won a gold medal for his bronze fountain figure for the New Council House, College Green, Bristol, which however was never erected. In 1918 he married Violet, daughter of Herbert Clifton White, of London, and had two daughters. He died at Stoke Poges 17 April 1949.

Public sculptures

* Whitehall, London:

* County Hall, London: Four statue groups * St James's church, Piccadilly, London: Memorial fountain to Viscount Southwood *

Eltham Palace Eltham Palace is a large house at Eltham ( ) in southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The house consists of the medieval great hall of a former royal residence, to which an Art Deco extension was added in the 1930s. ...

, London
Saint George
(originally at Carlos Place) * City Hall, Norwich: Two bronze heraldic lions, three statues: Recreation, Wisdom, Education * Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh: Crucifixion at the head of the Calvary Stair Hardiman calvary 1926

* Bantaskine, Falkirk: Peace * Kippen Kirk, Stirling: Entry into Jerusalem * Rhodes House, Oxford: Portrait of Cecil Rhodes * Hertfordshire County Hall: Harts

Notes

External links

Profile on Royal Academy of Arts
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardiman, Alfred Frank Prix de Rome (Britain) winners English sculptors English male sculptors 1891 births 1949 deaths 20th-century British sculptors Royal Academicians