Joseph Edwards (sculptor)
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Joseph Edwards (5 March 1814 – 9 January 1882) was a Welsh
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 ...
. His work appears in many churches and cemeteries in England and Wales, in
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, and in the old town hall of
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
. Seventy of his works were exhibited at the
Royal Academy of Arts 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 purpo ...
between 1838 and 1878.


Background

Joseph Edwards was born on 5 March 1814 in
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
,
Glamorganshire , HQ = Cardiff , Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974) , Origin= , Code = GLA , CodeName = Chapman code , Replace = * West Glamorgan * Mid Glamorgan * South Glamorgan , Motto ...
, Wales, the son of a stonemason, and went to school in Merthyr. At the age of seventeen he saw the collection of stone
Celtic cross The Celtic cross is a form of Christian cross featuring a nimbus or ring that emerged in Ireland, France and Great Britain in the Early Middle Ages. A type of ringed cross, it became widespread through its use in the stone high crosses er ...
es at
Margam Abbey Margam Abbey ( cy, Abaty Margam) was a Cistercian monastery, located in the village of Margam, a suburb of modern Port Talbot in Wales. History The abbey was founded in 1147 as a daughter house of Clairvaux by Robert, Earl of Gloucester, an ...
and decided to become a sculptor. Apprenticed to a memorial mason in
Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
, he was quickly promoted to foreman. In 1835, he went to London where he began working for
William Behnes William Behnes (1795 – 3 January 1864) was a British sculptor of the early 19th century. Life Born in London, Behnes was the son of a Hanoverian piano-maker and his English wife. His brother was Henry Behnes, also a sculptor, albeit an in ...
.


Sculpture

In 1837, Edwards became a student at the
Royal Academy of Arts 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 purpo ...
where he won several prizes for his work. His early works include a memorial to Sir John Bernard Bosanquet. Another memorial monument, entitled "Religion", was shown at an international exhibition in 1862. A version of this monument appears on the grave of Eliza Vaughan in Highgate (Western) Cemetery, London. Edward's work can be seen in churches throughout England and Wales. He made busts of many contemporary figures including Taliesin ap Iolo, Thomas Stephens (c. 1871),
G. T. Clark Colonel George Thomas Clark (26 May 1809 – 31 January 1898) was a British surgeon and engineer. He was particularly associated with the management of the Dowlais Iron Company. He was also an antiquary and historian of Glamorgan. Biography ...
, William Williams ( M.P. for
Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
), Edith Wynne, and
George Virtue George C. Virtue (1794 – 8 December 1868) was a 19th-century London-based publisher. His publishing house was located at 26 Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row. Pictorial publisher Virtue selected accomplished artists, employed the best engravers, and ...
, and members of the Beaufort, Guest, Raglan, and Crawshay families. Commenting on Edwards' bust of Thomas Stephens, ''
The Art Journal ''The Art Journal'' was the most important British 19th-century magazine on art. It was founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, print publishers, 6 Pall Mall, with the title ''Art Union Monthly Journal'' (or ''The Art Union''), the first issue of 7 ...
'' said, "
he Welsh He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
may well be proud of their countryman, Joseph Edwards. There are artists who will make as good busts, but there is no living sculptor who can produce monumental work so pure, so refined, so essentially holy." By 1881 he seems to have fallen on hard times as he was living as a lodger in Robert Street, west of
Euston Station Euston railway station ( ; also known as London Euston) is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden, managed by Network Rail. It is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line, the UK's busiest inter-city railw ...
and that year, sponsored by
George Frederic Watts George Frederic Watts (23 February 1817, in London – 1 July 1904) was a British painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. He said "I paint ideas, not things." Watts became famous in his lifetime for his allegorical work ...
, Edwards was awarded a pension under the
Turner Bequest Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbule ...
, but he died shortly after receiving it.


Death

Edwards died on 9 January 1882 in London and was buried in
Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...
.


Works

* ''The Last Dream'' (1851) *''Daughter of the Dawn'' (1851) *Medallion of a lady (1851) *''Religion Consoling Justice,'' (memorial to Sir John Bernard Bosanquet at
Dingestow Dingestow (pronounced , cy, Llanddingad) is a small village in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located south-west of Monmouth and approximately the same distance north-east of Raglan in rural Monmouthshire. The River Trothy passes through the v ...
Church,
Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...
) * Memorial monument ''Religion'' (1862, Cefn cemetery near Merthyr; replica at Highgate cemetery) *''The Vision'' *''The Weary Reassured'' *''Self Knowledge'' *''The High Priest of Science'' *''Hope'' *''The Adoration of the Spirit Ascending'' * ''Philosophy'' *Grave of
George Virtue George C. Virtue (1794 – 8 December 1868) was a 19th-century London-based publisher. His publishing house was located at 26 Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row. Pictorial publisher Virtue selected accomplished artists, employed the best engravers, and ...
(1870) * ''The Spirit of Love and Truth'' * Monuments in many churches and cemeteries in Wales,
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, Merthyr Tydfil old town hall * Busts of members of the Beaufort, Guest, Raglan, and Crawshay families * Busts of well-known Welsh people including Taliesin ap Iolo, Thomas Stephens (), G. T. Clark, William Williams (M.P. for Coventry), Edith Wynne, and George Virtue * The
Cymmrodorion The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion ( cy, Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Cymmrodorion), often called simply the Cymmrodorion, is a London-based Welsh learned society, with membership open to all. It was first established in 1751 as a social, cultural ...
Medal (1880) *Medallion of J. Ewing Ritchie, Esq. *Monument to William Hawkins and Mary, his Wife *Figure of "Religion" on the grave of Mrs Vaughn in
Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...
(1866) Seventy of Edwards' works were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1838 to 1878. (Sources: Ellis, University of Glasgow, ''The Cardiff Times'')


Gallery

File:Walton-on-Thames, statue on the grave of George Virtue.jpg, upright=0.9, Grave of
George Virtue George C. Virtue (1794 – 8 December 1868) was a 19th-century London-based publisher. His publishing house was located at 26 Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row. Pictorial publisher Virtue selected accomplished artists, employed the best engravers, and ...
(1870),
Walton-on-Thames Walton-on-Thames, locally known as Walton, is a market town on the south bank of the Thames in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England. Walton forms part of the Greater London built-up area, within the KT postcode and is served by a wide ran ...
, alt=Colour photograph of an ivy-covered sculpture of a woman File:Thomas Stephens (1821–1875) bust.jpg, Bust of Welsh historian, literary critic and social reformer Thomas Stephens (1821–1875), by Joseph Edwards; presented to Stephens as a testimonial after 25 years as honorary secretary of the Merthyr Library, alt=Black-and-white photograph of a marble bust of a bearded man File:Girl's Own Paper masthead.png, upright=1.7, 1886 masthead illustration of ''
The Girl's Own Paper ''The Girl's Own Paper'' (''G.O.P.'') was a British story paper catering to girls and young women, published from 1880 until 1956. Publishing history The first weekly number of ''The Girl's Own Paper'' appeared on 3 January 1880. As with its m ...
'', based on ''The Spirit of Love and Truth'' by Edwards, alt=Black-and-white drawing of a woman holding a banner showing the name of the magazine File:Joseph Edwards grave in Highgate Cemetery.jpg, Grave of Joseph Edwards in
Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...
, set in ivy-covered surrounds, with his bas-relief portrait File:Monument to Eliza Vaughan by Joseph Edwards.jpg, Monument to Eliza Vaughan at
Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...
(West)


References


External links

* * Notable Men of Wales: Joseph Edwards, the Sculptor. (1882) (biography) * Current Notes. (1882) (death notice) * Current Notes. (1882) (list of some of Edward's works) * Bequest to Cymmrodorion Society. (1882) * Oil painting of the late Joseph Edwards. (1883)
Harris family sculpture, Cefn Cemetery, Merthyr. (1909)
* Joseph Edwards. () (biography) * Joseph Edwards (). (sketch) *
This marble bust by an eminent Welsh sculptor had been left in a cupboard under the stairs at Aberystwyth University. (2016)

Marble Bust of prolific Merthyr scholar rediscovered. (2016)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Joseph 1814 births 1882 deaths 19th-century Welsh sculptors 19th-century Welsh male artists Burials at Highgate Cemetery Monumental masons People from Merthyr Tydfil Welsh male sculptors