|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
Gibbons, Grinling
Gibbons, Grinling (b Rotterdam, 4 Apr. 1648; d London, 3 Aug. 1721). Anglo-Dutch woodcarver and sculptor, the son of English parents who had business interests in the Netherlands (his father was a draper). He settled in England c.1667 and was ‘discovered’ by John Evelyn (see Diary, 18 Jan. 1671). Evelyn introduced him to King Charles II and to Sir Christopher Wren, who employed him on decorations at Hampton Court and St Paul's Cathedral. In 1693 he was appointed royal master carver. Gibbons was chiefly celebrated for naturalistic decorative carving of fruits, flowers, and shells, strung together in garlands and festoons, with small animals, cherubs' heads, etc. Horace Walpole said of him: ‘There is no instance of a man before Gibbons who gave to wood the loose and airy lightness of flowers, and chained together the various productions of the elements with the free disorder natural to each species.’ Because of his fame an enormous amount of work has been attributed to him, but he lived in a great age of English craftsmanship and much of the carving that is connected with his name was done by artists influenced by his style. Apart from his work for Wren, his documented commissions include outstanding ensembles at Burghley House, Lincolnshire, and Petworth House, Sussex. His virtuosity in wood (especially limewood) was not equalled in marble or bronze, and George Vertue said of him: ‘He was a most excellent carver in wood, he was neither well skill'd or practized in Marble or Brass for which works he employd the best artists he coud procure.’ In about 1684 he took as partner Artus Quellin III, who is thought to have been mainly responsible for some of the figure sculpture for which Gibbons was officially credited, notably the impressive bronze statue of James II (1686) outside the National Gallery in London.
|
|
|
Cite this article
IAN CHILVERS. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-GibbonsGrinling.html IAN CHILVERS. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-GibbonsGrinling.html |
|
Gibbons, Grinling
Gibbons, Grinling (1648–1721). Anglo-Dutch woodcarver and sculptor, born in Rotterdam, the son of English parents who had business interests there (his father was a draper). He settled in England c.1667 and was ‘discovered’ by John Evelyn (Diary, 18 Jan. 1671). Evelyn introduced him to King Charles II and to Sir Christopher Wren, who employed him on decorations at Hampton Court and St Paul's Cathedral. In 1693 he was appointed royal master carver. Gibbons was unsurpassed in his day for naturalistic decorative carving of fruits, flowers, and shells, strung together in garlands and festoons, with small animals, cherubs' heads, etc. Because of his fame an enormous amount of work has been attributed to him, but he lived in a great age of English craftsmanship and much of the carving that is connected with his name was done by artists influenced by his style. Apart from his work for Wren, his documented commissions include outstanding ensembles at Burghley House, Lincolnshire, and Petworth House, Sussex. His virtuosity in wood was not equalled in marble or bronze, and George Vertue said of him: ‘He was a most excellent carver in wood, he was neither well skill'd or practized in Marble or Brass for which works he employd the best artists he coud procure.’ In about 1684 he took as partner Artus III Quellin, who is thought to have been mainly responsible for some of the figure sculpture for which Gibbons was officially credited.
|
|
|
Cite this article
IAN CHILVERS. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-GibbonsGrinling.html IAN CHILVERS. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-GibbonsGrinling.html |
|
Gibbons, Grinling
Gibbons, Grinling (1648–1721). Woodcarver and sculptor. Born in Rotterdam and probably trained in Holland, he was in England by 1668. Writing in 1671, the diarist John Evelyn refers to introducing Gibbons, ‘whom I had lately found in an Obscure place’, to Charles II and Christopher Wren. Gibbons's decoration appears in Windsor castle and Hampton Court and also in St Paul's cathedral on the choir-stalls and organ screen. One of the most skilful woodcarvers ever, his garlands of fruit, flowers, small animals, and cherubs led Horace Walpole to say, ‘There is no instance of a man before Gibbons who gave to wood the loose and airy lightness of flowers.’ He was less at home with bronze and marble. The bronze of James II outside the National Gallery in London, attributed to Gibbons and for which he was paid, was probably the work of his partner Artus Quellin. Other examples of woodcarving are in the Victoria and Albert Museum and many country houses throughout Britain.
June Cochrane |
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-GibbonsGrinling.html JOHN CANNON. "Gibbons, Grinling." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-GibbonsGrinling.html |
|
Gibbons, Grinling
Gibbons, Grinling (1648–1721). Woodcarver and sculptor. Born in Rotterdam and probably trained in Holland, he was in England by 1668. Gibbons's decoration appears in Windsor castle and Hampton Court and also in St Paul's cathedral on the choir‐stalls and organ screen. One of the most skilful woodcarvers ever, his garlands of fruit, flowers, small animals, and cherubs led Horace Walpole to say, ‘There is no instance of a man before Gibbons who gave to wood the loose and airy lightness of flowers.’
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Gibbons, Grinling." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Gibbons, Grinling." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-GibbonsGrinling.html JOHN CANNON. "Gibbons, Grinling." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-GibbonsGrinling.html |
|
Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons 1648-1721, English wood carver and sculptor, b. Rotterdam. From the reign of Charles II to that of George I he was master wood carver to the crown. Sir Christopher Wren employed him for architectural decoration. Blenheim, Whitehall Palace, and the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, contain masterly carvings by Gibbons. Other works include a marble font in St. James's, Piccadilly, and a bronze statue of James II outside the National Gallery, London. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Grinling Gibbons." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Grinling Gibbons." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-GibbonsG.html "Grinling Gibbons." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-GibbonsG.html |
|
Gibbons, Grinling
Gibbons, Grinling (1648–1721) British wood carver, b. Holland. His decorative carvings of fruit, flowers, and cherubs' heads adorn the choir stalls of St Paul's Cathedral, London. His patrons included Charles II and George I.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"Gibbons, Grinling." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Gibbons, Grinling." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-GibbonsGrinling.html "Gibbons, Grinling." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-GibbonsGrinling.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
