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Joseph Wilton

January 01, 1970

Joseph Wilton RA (16 July 1722 – 25 November 1803) was an English sculptor. He was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768, and the academy's third keeper. His works are particularly numerous memorialising the famous Britons in Westminster Abbey.

Joseph Wilton
Winton holding a bust of Demosthenes, portrait by Louis-Gabriel Blanchet
Born16 July 1722 
London 
Died25 November 1803  (aged 81)
London 
Resting placeSt. Mary the Virgin Church, Wanstead 
Portrait bust of Dr Antonio Cocchi, 1755, Joseph Wilton V&A Museum no. A.9–1966
Roubiliac by Joseph Wilton, 1761, National Portrait Gallery, London
Oliver Cromwell by Joseph Wilton, 1762, Victoria and Albert Museum
Unknown man (thought to be Dr Edward Archer), 1781, Victoria and Albert Museum

Life edit

He was born the son of an ornamental plasterer in the Charing Cross area of London, where his father had sculpted the ceilings of the Foundling Hospital. His father wished that Joseph should become a civil engineer but instead Joseph strongly desired to be a sculptor.[1]

Wilton initially trained under Laurent Delvaux at Nivelles, in present-day Belgium. In 1744 he left Nivelles and went to the Academy in Paris to study under Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. In 1752 he went to Italy with his sculptor friend Louis-François Roubiliac to learn to sculpt in marble, and stayed for seven years, living first in Rome and then in Florence.[2] Whilst in Rome he met and befriended his first patron, William Locke of Norbury, who thereafter accompanied Wilton on his tour of Italy. Like many other artists of the day, he studied antiquities, and made numerous plaster casts and marble copies of classic works – many of these later formed the collection of Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond at Richmond House in west London.[citation needed] A marble bust of the physician and scholar Antonio Cocchi, carved by Wilton in 1755, his last year in Italy, is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Influenced by Wilton's study of antique busts, it was considered by Margaret Whinney to be one of Wilton's most distinguished works.[3]

While in Florence he made the acquaintance of the Florentine painter Giovanni Battista Cipriani. When Wilton and the architect William Chambers returned to England, in August 1755, Cipriani went with them.[4]

Once back in London, Wilton was named co-director of Lennox's Richmond House gallery, and established a workshop.[5] He built up a considerable practice, making busts and monuments, including the memorial to James Wolfe in Westminster Abbey.[2] He made at least two marble busts of Oliver Cromwell, which he showed at the Society of Artists, in 1761 and 1761, basing the likeness on a cast of Cromwell's face. One marble version, and the terracotta model for it, is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.[6]

In 1761, he was first commissioned to produce a statue of King George III. Similar commissions followed, including one in 1766 from New York City. This massive statue portrayed the king on horseback in Roman garb, and was cast in lead and gilded before being shipped to America and erected at Bowling Green, near the tip of Manhattan in August 1770. It did not last long, being torn down by patriots in July 1776.

Wilton's other works include many notable busts, monuments (e.g. Stephen Hales' memorial in Westminster Abbey, London) and other carvings including fireplaces and tables.

In 1768, when Wilton was perhaps at the peak of his powers, he was elected a founder member of the Royal Academy. However, that year also saw him inherit his father's fortune and the new wealth diverted him away from sculpture to a life of dissolution.[citation needed] In 1786 he was forced to sell most of his possessions and in 1793 he was officially declared bankrupt. In 1790 he was appointed Keeper of the Royal Academy, a post he kept until his death in 1803.[2] He was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Wanstead in east London.[7]

Principal works edit

Trivia edit

By some accounts, the town of Wilton, New Hampshire is said to have been named after Sir Joseph in 1762.

Notes edit

  1. ^ Gunnis, Rupert F. (1953). Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660–1851. London: Odhams Press.
  2. ^ a b c Whinney 1971, p. 97.
  3. ^ Whinney 1971, p.98
  4. ^ "Giovanni Battista Cipriani RA (1727–1785)". Royal Academy of Arts. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  5. ^ "Joseph Wilton". The J. Paul Getty. Retrieved 18 August 2015.}
  6. ^ Whinney 1971, p. 101.
  7. ^ Historic England. "Memorial to Joseph Wilton RA in Churchyard of Church of St Mary (1183582)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. ^ https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2695548, Historic England. "Lion Statue (1109087)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  9. ^ Gold State Coach 1762, Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved: 20 May 2022.

References edit

Whinney, Margaret (1971). English Sculpture 1750–1830. London: HMSO.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph Wilton.

22 artworks by or after Joseph Wilton at the Art UK site

January 01, 1970
joseph, wilton, july, 1722, november, 1803, english, sculptor, founding, members, royal, academy, 1768, academy, third, keeper, works, particularly, numerous, memorialising, famous, britons, westminster, abbey, winton, holding, bust, demosthenes, portrait, lou. Joseph Wilton RA 16 July 1722 25 November 1803 was an English sculptor He was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768 and the academy s third keeper His works are particularly numerous memorialising the famous Britons in Westminster Abbey Joseph WiltonWinton holding a bust of Demosthenes portrait by Louis Gabriel BlanchetBorn16 July 1722 London Died25 November 1803 aged 81 London Resting placeSt Mary the Virgin Church Wanstead Portrait bust of Dr Antonio Cocchi 1755 Joseph Wilton V amp A Museum no A 9 1966 Roubiliac by Joseph Wilton 1761 National Portrait Gallery London Oliver Cromwell by Joseph Wilton 1762 Victoria and Albert Museum Unknown man thought to be Dr Edward Archer 1781 Victoria and Albert Museum Contents 1 Life 2 Principal works 3 Trivia 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksLife editHe was born the son of an ornamental plasterer in the Charing Cross area of London where his father had sculpted the ceilings of the Foundling Hospital His father wished that Joseph should become a civil engineer but instead Joseph strongly desired to be a sculptor 1 Wilton initially trained under Laurent Delvaux at Nivelles in present day Belgium In 1744 he left Nivelles and went to the Academy in Paris to study under Jean Baptiste Pigalle In 1752 he went to Italy with his sculptor friend Louis Francois Roubiliac to learn to sculpt in marble and stayed for seven years living first in Rome and then in Florence 2 Whilst in Rome he met and befriended his first patron William Locke of Norbury who thereafter accompanied Wilton on his tour of Italy Like many other artists of the day he studied antiquities and made numerous plaster casts and marble copies of classic works many of these later formed the collection of Charles Lennox 3rd Duke of Richmond at Richmond House in west London citation needed A marble bust of the physician and scholar Antonio Cocchi carved by Wilton in 1755 his last year in Italy is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum Influenced by Wilton s study of antique busts it was considered by Margaret Whinney to be one of Wilton s most distinguished works 3 While in Florence he made the acquaintance of the Florentine painter Giovanni Battista Cipriani When Wilton and the architect William Chambers returned to England in August 1755 Cipriani went with them 4 Once back in London Wilton was named co director of Lennox s Richmond House gallery and established a workshop 5 He built up a considerable practice making busts and monuments including the memorial to James Wolfe in Westminster Abbey 2 He made at least two marble busts of Oliver Cromwell which he showed at the Society of Artists in 1761 and 1761 basing the likeness on a cast of Cromwell s face One marble version and the terracotta model for it is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum 6 In 1761 he was first commissioned to produce a statue of King George III Similar commissions followed including one in 1766 from New York City This massive statue portrayed the king on horseback in Roman garb and was cast in lead and gilded before being shipped to America and erected at Bowling Green near the tip of Manhattan in August 1770 It did not last long being torn down by patriots in July 1776 Wilton s other works include many notable busts monuments e g Stephen Hales memorial in Westminster Abbey London and other carvings including fireplaces and tables In 1768 when Wilton was perhaps at the peak of his powers he was elected a founder member of the Royal Academy However that year also saw him inherit his father s fortune and the new wealth diverted him away from sculpture to a life of dissolution citation needed In 1786 he was forced to sell most of his possessions and in 1793 he was officially declared bankrupt In 1790 he was appointed Keeper of the Royal Academy a post he kept until his death in 1803 2 He was buried at St Mary the Virgin Wanstead in east London 7 Principal works editMonument to Admiral Samuel Graves in Antony Cornwall 1755 Monument to Pyke Crouch in Buntingford Hertfordshire 1756 Monument to Admiral Temple West in Westminster Abbey 1757 Bust of Thomas Sydenham 1758 Bust of a Bearded Immortal for Wentworth Woodhouse 1758 a Medici lion sculpture at Kedleston Hall carved around 1760 1770 8 Monument to Stephen Hales in Westminster Abbey 1761 Monument to Admiral Holmes in Westminster Abbey 1761 Bust of his friend Louis Francois Roubiliac 1761 Monument to Bishop Hoadly in Winchester Cathedral 1761 Gold State Coach 1762 9 Monument to Charlotte St Quentin in Harpham Yorkshire 1762 Bust of Sir Isaac Newton in the Bodleian Library Oxford 1762 Bust of Oliver Cromwell Victoria and Albert Museum 1762 Monument to Sir Hans Sloane in the churchyard of Chelsea Old Church 1763 Monument to Mary Okeover in Okeover Staffordshire 1764 Monument to William Pulteney 1st Earl of Bath in Westminster Abbey 1764 Bust of Lord Camden 1767 Monument to the Earl and Countess of Mountrath in Westminster Abbey 1771 Bust of Alfred the Great for Lord Radnor 1771 now in University College Oxford Monument to General James Wolfe in Westminster Abbey 1772 Bust of Lord Chesterfield 4th Earl of Bristol at Ickworth Park Suffolk 1772 Monument to Sir Thomas Street in Worcester Cathedral 1774 Monument including a life size figure of the Earl of Mexborough at Methley Yorkshire 1778 Monument to Sir Basil Keith in Jamaica Cathedral 1780 Monument to Sir James Steuart Denham in Westminster Abbey 1780 Monument to his own daughters in Chelsea Old Church 1781 Bust of Sir Robert Long d 1767 in Draycot Cerne Church Wiltshire 1784 Monument to Sir Archibald Campbell in Westminster Abbey 1795 Trivia editBy some accounts the town of Wilton New Hampshire is said to have been named after Sir Joseph in 1762 Notes edit Gunnis Rupert F 1953 Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660 1851 London Odhams Press a b c Whinney 1971 p 97 Whinney 1971 p 98 Giovanni Battista Cipriani RA 1727 1785 Royal Academy of Arts Retrieved 18 August 2015 Joseph Wilton The J Paul Getty Retrieved 18 August 2015 Whinney 1971 p 101 Historic England Memorial to Joseph Wilton RA in Churchyard of Church of St Mary 1183582 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 3 March 2023 https www geograph org uk photo 2695548 Historic England Lion Statue 1109087 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 26 June 2015 Gold State Coach 1762 Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 20 May 2022 References editWhinney Margaret 1971 English Sculpture 1750 1830 London HMSO External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph Wilton 22 artworks by or after Joseph Wilton at the Art UK site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph Wilton amp oldid 1204686077, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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