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Edward Onslow Ford, sculptor, was born 27 July 1852.
1/ He first met Henry Irving in Jan 1880.
He'd already been sculpting him as Hamlet from the stalls, and asked him to sit properly.
Irving was so pleased with the result he then agreed to a full sized version in marble...
1/ He first met Henry Irving in Jan 1880.
He'd already been sculpting him as Hamlet from the stalls, and asked him to sit properly.
Irving was so pleased with the result he then agreed to a full sized version in marble...
2/
While working on the full sized model, Ford also made a clay bust of Irving as Hamlet, giving one to Bram Stoker in 1880, then sending Irving 20 copies of it in 1881.
One copy, in terracotta, recently made its way to auction at Sotheby's:
https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2009/19th-and-20th-century-european-sculpture-l09730/lot.61.html
While working on the full sized model, Ford also made a clay bust of Irving as Hamlet, giving one to Bram Stoker in 1880, then sending Irving 20 copies of it in 1881.
One copy, in terracotta, recently made its way to auction at Sotheby's:
https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2009/19th-and-20th-century-european-sculpture-l09730/lot.61.html
3/
The bronze of it that Irving kept for his whole life is in the theatre collection of @V_and_A :
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1114263/henry-irving-as-hamlet-bust-ford-edward-onslow/
The bronze of it that Irving kept for his whole life is in the theatre collection of @V_and_A :
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1114263/henry-irving-as-hamlet-bust-ford-edward-onslow/
3/
It took Ford four years to finish the full life-size marble sculpture.
A patinated plaster study of Irving's head for it is @SmallhytheNT :
http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1118510
It took Ford four years to finish the full life-size marble sculpture.
A patinated plaster study of Irving's head for it is @SmallhytheNT :
http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1118510
4/
... a plaster model of the whole sculpture, was exhibited in at the Royal Academy in 1883.
It was acquired by @mcrartgallery in 1908:
https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-461
But when Ford finally completed the life-size version in marble in 1884...
... a plaster model of the whole sculpture, was exhibited in at the Royal Academy in 1883.
It was acquired by @mcrartgallery in 1908:
https://manchesterartgallery.org/collections/title/?mag-object-461
But when Ford finally completed the life-size version in marble in 1884...
4/
... Irving didn't want it!
He paid for it, but ordered Ford to give it to @GuildhallArt :
‘Hang it all, Ford, a man cannot give his own statue; give it from yourself. I have paid you for it, so give it as a gift from you; I authorise you to.’
https://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/view-item?key=SXsiUCI6eyJ2YWx1ZSI6IkhlbnJ5IElydmluZyIsIm9wZXJhdG9yIjoxLCJmdXp6eVByZWZpeExlbmd0aCI6MywiZnV6enlNaW5TaW1pbGFyaXR5IjowLjc1LCJtYXhTdWdnZXN0aW9ucyI6MywiYWx3YXlzU3VnZ2VzdCI6bnVsbH0sIkYiOiJleUowSWpwYk1WMTkifQ&pg=10&WINID=1595874931744#k5OgH2ldIrUAAAFzkYXafQ/8824
... Irving didn't want it!
He paid for it, but ordered Ford to give it to @GuildhallArt :
‘Hang it all, Ford, a man cannot give his own statue; give it from yourself. I have paid you for it, so give it as a gift from you; I authorise you to.’
https://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/view-item?key=SXsiUCI6eyJ2YWx1ZSI6IkhlbnJ5IElydmluZyIsIm9wZXJhdG9yIjoxLCJmdXp6eVByZWZpeExlbmd0aCI6MywiZnV6enlNaW5TaW1pbGFyaXR5IjowLjc1LCJtYXhTdWdnZXN0aW9ucyI6MywiYWx3YXlzU3VnZ2VzdCI6bnVsbH0sIkYiOiJleUowSWpwYk1WMTkifQ&pg=10&WINID=1595874931744#k5OgH2ldIrUAAAFzkYXafQ/8824
5/
... The @NPGLondon has a bronze bust of the @SmallhytheNT study, made c1906-7, of unknown provenance, and an excellent overview of the creation all of these Ford sculptures of Irving here:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitExtended/mw07519/Sir-Henry-Irving?LinkID=mp02373&role=sit&rNo=6
... The @NPGLondon has a bronze bust of the @SmallhytheNT study, made c1906-7, of unknown provenance, and an excellent overview of the creation all of these Ford sculptures of Irving here:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitExtended/mw07519/Sir-Henry-Irving?LinkID=mp02373&role=sit&rNo=6
