Study for the Venus Fountain in Sloane Square
Study for the Venus Fountain in Sloane Square
2977
GILBERT LEDWARD, RA
(1888-1960)
Study for the Venus Fountain in Sloane Square
Signed and dated l.l.: GILBERT LEDWARD 1951
Pencil and watercolour
Framed
31 by 19 cm., 12 ¼ by 7 ½ in.
(frame size 50 by 41 cm., 19 ¾ by 16 ¼ in.)
Gilbert Ledward was born in London. He was educated at St Mark’s College, Chelsea. In 1905 he entered the Royal College of Art to study sculpture under Edouard Lanteri and in 1910 he entered the Royal Academy Schools. In 1913 he won the Prix de Rome for sculpture, the Royal Academy’s travelling award and gold medal, which allowed him to travel in Italy until the outbreak of the Wold War I. During the war he served as a lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery and was appointed as an official war artist in 1918. Following the war he was largely occupied as a sculptor of war memorials including the Guards Division memorial in St James’s Park and the Household Division’s memorial in Horse Guards Parade. In 1934, supported by Eric Gill and Edwin Lutyens, he established a company called Sculptured Memorials and Headstones, which promoted better design of memorials in English churchyards. His war memorials after World War II include one in Westminster Abbey to the Submarine Service, Commandos and Airborne Forces. He was Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art (1927-1929) and in 1937 was elected at Royal Academician. He became President of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and a trustee of the Royal Academy.
The present work is a study for the bronze nymph on the Venus Fountain (1952-3) standing in the centre of Sloane Square, Chelsea. Sketches relating to this fountain were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1953 and 1954. The fountain was paid for by the Leighton Fund which had been set up by Lord Leighton’s sisters for the purpose of placing works of art in or near public buildings. The inscription beneath the rim of the vase reads: Thames Run Softly till I End My Song.
RELATED ITEMS
Study for the Venus Fountain in Sloane SquareSigned and dated l.l.: GILBERT LEDWARD 1951Pencil and watercolourFramed31 by 19 cm., 12 ¼ by 7 ½ in.(frame size 50 by 41 cm., 19 ¾ by 16 ¼ in.)Gilbert Ledward was born in London. He was educated at St Mark’s College, Chelsea. In 1905 he entered the Royal College of Art to study sculpture under Edouard Lanteri and in 1910 he entered the Royal Academy Schools. In 1913 he won the Prix de Rome for sculpture, the Royal Academy’s travelling award and gold medal, which allowed him to travel in Italy until the outbreak of the Wold War I. During the war he served as a lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery and was appointed as an official war artist in 1918. Following the war he was largely occupied as a sculptor of war memorials including the Guards Division memorial in St James’s Park and the Household Division’s memorial in Horse Guards Parade. In 1934, supported by Eric Gill and Edwin Lutyens, he established a company called Sculptured Memorials and Headstones, which promoted better design of memorials in English churchyards. His war memorials after World War II include one in Westminster Abbey to the Submarine Service, Commandos and Airborne Forces. He was Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art (1927-1929) and in 1937 was elected at Royal Academician. He became President of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and a trustee of the Royal Academy.The present work is a study for the bronze nymph on the Venus Fountain (1952-3) standing in the centre of Sloane Square, Chelsea. Sketches relating to this fountain were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1953 and 1954. The fountain was paid for by the Leighton Fund which had been set up by Lord Leighton’s sisters for the purpose of placing works of art in or near public buildings. The inscription beneath the rim of the vase reads: Thames Run Softly till I End My Song.){kind=link}