Bronze
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/frank-dobson-1014" aria-label="More by Frank Dobson" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Frank Dobson</a>
Sir Osbert Sitwell Bt
Presented by the executors of T.E. Lawrence 1950
adults
author
body
head / face
individuals: male
literary
man
named individuals
people
poet
portraits
Sitwell, Osbert
work and occupations
<p>Frank Dobson was a sculptor and painter associated with the post-impressionist and, briefly, vorticist movements in Britain. In 1921 he met Osbert Sitwell (1892–1969), an establishment figure and writer of short stories, travel books, essays, poetry and art criticism, who sat for him for three months. During one of the sittings, Sitwell met TE Lawrence, known as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, who bought the bust and later bequeathed it to the Tate. Lawrence described it as ‘appropriate, authentic and magnificent, in my eyes. I think it’s his finest piece of portraiture and in addition it’s as loud as the massed bands of the Guards.’</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2016</em></p>
sculpture bronze
3 May 2004 – 30 August 2004
2004-08-30
3 May 2004
2004-05-03
Tate Modern (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
2004-05-03
Turbine Hall (heads)
Collection based display
16 October 2010 – 4 November 2012
2012-11-04
16 October 2010 – 4 November 2012
2012-11-04
2010-10-16
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2010-10-16
Gallery 10
Collection based display
30 November 2012 – 25 September 2022
2022-09-25
30 November 2012
2012-11-30
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2012-11-30
Gallery 3
Collection based display
Sir Osbert Sitwell, Bt
object: 318 × 178 × 229 mm, 9.8 kg
Presented by the executors of T.E. Lawrence 1950
<div class="text">
<p>Frank Dobson was a sculptor and painter associated with the post-impressionist and, briefly, vorticist movements in Britain. In 1921 he met Osbert Sitwell (1892–1969), an establishment figure and writer of short stories, travel books, essays, poetry and art criticism, who sat for him for three months. During one of the sittings, Sitwell met TE Lawrence, known as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, who bought the bust and later bequeathed it to the Tate. Lawrence described it as ‘appropriate, authentic and magnificent, in my eyes. I think it’s his finest piece of portraiture and in addition it’s as loud as the massed bands of the Guards.’</p>
</div>

Display caption
2016-09-06T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05938</b> SIR OSBERT SITWELL, BT. 1923
<br/> 
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Polished brass, 12 1/2×7×9 (32×18×23).
<br/>Presented by the Executors of T.E. Lawrence in accordance with his wishes 1960.
<br/><i>Coll:</i> Purchased by T.E. Lawrence from the artist 1923 and lent to the Tate Gallery from 1923 until presented.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> Venice Biennale, 1928 (British Pavilion, 32, repr. pl.112).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> John Rothenstein, <i>The Tate Gallery</i>, 1958, p.190, repr. pl.16.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> Mortimer, 1926, pl.2; E. H. Ramsden, <i>Twentieth Century Sculpture</i>, 1949, pl.6; E. H. Ramsden, <i>Sculpture: Theme and Variations</i>, 1953, pl.44<i>b</i>; Sir John Rothenstein, <i>British Art since 1900</i>, 1962, pl.93.</p>
<p>Sir Osbert Sitwell, 5th Bt. (b. 1892), writer of short stories, travel books, essays, poetry and art criticism. Trustee of the Tate Gallery, 1951–8. C.B.E. 1956. Brother of Edith and Sacheverell Sitwell.</p>
<p>In his initial letter offering the head T. E. Lawrence, writing under the name of J. H. Ross, said (5 February 1923): ‘Another insidious attempt to embroil you with Mr F. Emanuel! Dobson the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculptor</span></a> (14 Trafalgar Studios, Manresa Road, Chelsea) did a head in polished brass of Osbert Sitwell. Appropriate, authentic and magnificent, in my eyes. I think it's his finest piece of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/portrait" title="Glossary definition for 'Portrait'"><span>portraiture</span></a> and in addition it's as loud as the massed bands of the Guards.’ Frank Emanuel, the painter (q.v.), was carrying on a campaign against <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/modernism" title="Glossary definition for 'Modernism'"><span>modern art</span></a>.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, I</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-08T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults author body head / face individuals: male literary man named individuals people poet portraits Sitwell, Osbert work and occupations