Richard Louis Garbe RA FRBS (26 October 1876 – 28 July 1957) was a British sculptor.

Richard Louis Garbe was born in Dalston, London, on 26 October 1876, with a twin Franz Paul Garbe (1876–1954). He had been christened Louis Richard, but was known as Richard. His father was Gustave Garbe (1850–1919), a Prussian ivory carver. Richard studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts as well as learning his father's trade.[1][2] In 1892 and 1893 he was awarded prizes for his wood carvings by the Turners Company at their annual exhibition at the Mansion House.[3][4]

He taught at Central School of Arts and Crafts (1899–1929) and was also Head of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art (1926–1946). He was elected an Academician at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1929 and full Academician in 1936.[5] He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition from 1898 to 1957.[6] In 1929 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, while in 1938 he was elected as the Master of the Art Workers' Guild.[2]

His work is in many major collections, including the Tate.[7] In the 1930s he produced ceramic sculptures for Royal Doulton.[8]

Some of his major architectural work was Medieval Age and Modern Age for National Museum Cardiff, and in London his sculptures are on Five Kings House (formerly Thames House) by Southwark Bridge.[9][10][2]

In 1908 he married Gertrude Julia Sabey (1879–1966) in Barnet. He had lived in Hornchurch and died on 28 July 1957[11] at Milton Way House, Westcott, Surrey, where he had lived from about 1933.[2]

Works Exhibited at the Royal Academy

Year Title Type
1898 Memories Bust
1899 Portrait of a child Bust
1901 L'inconnue Head; marble
1902 A song to passing summer Panel; ivory
1904 Serenite Relief; marble
1905 Echo and Narcissus Group; bronze
1906 Der Selbstsuchtiger Statue
1907 Man and the ideal Group
1908 The idealist Group
1909 Undine Statuette
1910 Man and the masks Statue
1911 The Egoist Statuette; bronze
1911 The voice of the past Relief
1912 The Magdalenes Group
1913 Adolescence Statue
1914 Mother and child Group
1915 Youth and the shadow Relief

References

  1. ^ "Richard Louis Garbe (1876–1957)". Victorian Web. 25 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Richard Louis Garbe RA". Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851–1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ "TURNERY COMPETITION AT THE MANSION HOUSE". The Globe, London. 27 October 1892. pp. 2–3.
  4. ^ "MANSION HOUSE". Kentish Mercury. 27 October 1893. p. 3.
  5. ^ "Mr. Richard Garbe". The Times, London. 29 July 1957. p. 10. Retrieved 19 December 2018 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  6. ^ "Exhibition catalogues". The Royal Academy.
  7. ^ "Richard Garbe". Tate.
  8. ^ "Spirit of the Wind". Victoria and Albert Museum. 1932.
  9. ^ "Richard Garbe RA (1876–1957)". The Second Website of Bob Speel.
  10. ^ "Façade of Five Kings House, formerly Thames House (decoration)". Public Monuments and Sculpture Association. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Probate 1959". GOV.UK.
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