Bronze
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sir-alfred-gilbert-208" aria-label="More by Sir Alfred Gilbert" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Sir Alfred Gilbert</a>
George Frederic Watts OM RA
Presented by Mrs Watts by the wish of the late George Frederic Watts 1904
adults
artist, painter
arts and entertainment
body
head / face
individuals: male
man
named individuals
people
portraits
Watts, George Frederic
work and occupations
<p>This bust of the famous Victorian painter and sculptor, was commissioned by his wife, and took more than Gilbert's usual number of sittings. Mrs Watts wrote that 'Sir Frederic Leighton gave it high praise ... I remember his passing his hands over the planes of the cheek-bone and then to the planes of the coat, saying 'It could not be better', and Signor [Watts] agreed with him, remarking how far finer a coat became in sculpture when treated in such a manner than any artificial drapery; and they congratulated each other on the disappearance of the bathing-towel from the shoulders of a modern bust.' Gilbert refused any payment for the bust, and in return Watts painted his portrait.</p><p><em>Gallery label, February 2010</em></p>
sculpture bronze
20 March 2009 – 17 October 2010
2010-10-17
20 March 2009 – 17 October 2010
2010-10-17
2009-03-20
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2009-03-20
New Sculpture
Collection based display
1 March 2011 – 31 December 2011
2011-12-31
1 March 2011 – 31 December 2011
2011-12-31
2011-03-01
Watts Gallery - Artists’ Village (Compton, UK)
http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk
2011-03-01
Watts Gallery Re-Opening
Loan-out
22 March 2013 – 1 September 2013
2013-09-01
22 March 2013 – 1 September 2013
2013-09-01
2013-03-22
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-03-22
Image of the British School
Collection based display
16 November 2013 – 13 April 2014
2014-04-13
16 November 2013 – 13 April 2014
2014-04-13
2013-11-16
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-11-16
Open Archive: Paul Noble
Collection based display
20 June 2017 – 26 November 2017
2017-11-26
20 June 2017 – 26 November 2017
2017-11-26
2017-06-20
Watts Gallery - Artists’ Village (Compton, UK)
http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk
2017-06-20
G.F.Watts: England's Michelangelo
Loan-out
George Frederic Watts, O.M., R.A.
object: 584 × 584 × 368 mm, 26kg
Presented by Mrs Watts by the wish of the late George Frederic Watts 1904
<p>This bust of the famous Victorian painter and sculptor, was commissioned by his wife, and took more than Gilbert's usual number of sittings. Mrs Watts wrote that 'Sir Frederic Leighton gave it high praise ... I remember his passing his hands over the planes of the cheek-bone and then to the planes of the coat, saying 'It could not be better', and Signor [Watts] agreed with him, remarking how far finer a coat became in sculpture when treated in such a manner than any artificial drapery; and they congratulated each other on the disappearance of the bathing-towel from the shoulders of a modern bust.'
<br/>Gilbert refused any payment for the bust, and in return Watts painted his portrait.
<br/></p>

Display caption
2010-02-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N01949</b> GEORGE FREDERIC WATTS, O.M., R.A. 1888–9
<br/> </p>
<p>Not inscribed.</p>
<p>Bronze, 23×23×14 1/2 (38.5×58.5×37), on dark green marble base, 8 1/4×9 3/4×9 3/4 (21×25×25).
<br/>Presented by Mrs G.F. Watts 1904.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> The plaster: R.A., 1889 (2153).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> M.H. Spielmann, <i>British Sculpture and Sculptors of To-day</i>, 1901, p.79; Hatton, 1903, p.31, repr.; M.S. Watts, <i>George Frederic Watts</i>, 11, 1912, pp.133–5; E. Rimbault Dibdin, <i>George Frederick Watts</i>, 1923, p.70; Bury, 1952, pp.80–1, repr. pl.5.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> McAllister, 1929, pl.14.</p>
<p>Begun in August 1888 in Watts's studio at Little Holland House. Eighteen sittings were required and it was completed and <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/cast" title="Glossary definition for 'Cast'"><span>cast</span></a> in <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/metal" title="Glossary definition for 'Metal'"><span>bronze</span></a> in the following winter after Watts had left for Brighton. It was done by Gilbert at the request of Mrs Watts, but he refused payment for it. 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/p/plaster-of-paris" title="Glossary definition for 'Plaster of Paris'"><span>plaster</span></a> model is at the R.A.</p>
<p>In 1895 Watts painted a <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>portrait</span></a> of Gilbert, also as a gift. This portrait was exhibited at the R.A., 1896 (90), and is recorded as ‘in the collection of Mrs A. Gilbert’ in Mrs Watts's photocatalogue at the Watts Gallery, Compton, but its present location has not been traced (repr. McAllister, 1929, pl.15, where it is dated 1889).</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
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-09-23T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults artist, painter arts and entertainment body head / face individuals: male man named individuals people portraits Watts, George Frederic work and occupations