Large white marble sculpture depicting Venus, from the workshop of John Gibson, Rome, circa 1850. Known as Venus Verticordia or Venus Colored, its history is fascinating.
John Gibson (June 19, 1790 - January 27, 1866) was a prominent Welsh neoclassical sculptor. He studied in Rome with Canova and opened his own workshop there, where he worked until his death. Born in Wales and raised in Liverpool, John Gibson had a brilliant career. After completing his apprenticeship at the age of 26, this ambitious Welshman arrived in London as a promising artist. He exhibited several times at the Royal Academy and, within two years, realized the dream of every young sculptor of his time: to study in Rome. The next two years spent with Canova shaped his career and sculptural approach. Gibson also studied with Bertel Thorvaldsen and, at the age of 31, opened his workshop on Via della Fontanella, near Piazza del Popolo. John Gibson's workshop was one of the largest in Rome during his lifetime; it was an essential stop on the circuit of Roman sculptors' workshops, as described in Hawks Le Grice's famous 1840 manual. He employed specialized modelers, sculptors, and trainers and counted among his students several promising artists, such as Harriet Hosmer...
Category
Mid-19th Century English School Figurative Sculptures
