David Livingstone
Bust
1857 (made)
1857 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a plaster bust made by Felix Martin Miller in England, dated 1857. The bust represents the explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873) and was said to have been 'modelled from life shortly after his return from Africa in 1856'. The two medallions on the base depict allegorical scenes.
In 1857 Miller exhibited a bust of Livingstone at the Royal Academy. He showed a further 'cabinet bust of Dr Livingstone' a year later in 1858.
He was active between 1842 and 1880. In 'Sculptors of the Day', published in 1880, Miller is recorded as being at the Art School, South Kensington Museum: he was Master in the Modelling Class from about 1860 to 1880. Mentioned in the obituary of the sculptor Henry Foley in the 'Art Journal' of 1874, Miller was described as 'one of the few sculptors whose genius is manifest and who has produced works, chiefly bas-reliefs, that are unsurpassed by any production of their class in modern Art: Foley thought so well of Miller that he commissioned more than one of his works in marble: indeed the great artist was the principal patron of his struggling brother-artist'.
In 1857 Miller exhibited a bust of Livingstone at the Royal Academy. He showed a further 'cabinet bust of Dr Livingstone' a year later in 1858.
He was active between 1842 and 1880. In 'Sculptors of the Day', published in 1880, Miller is recorded as being at the Art School, South Kensington Museum: he was Master in the Modelling Class from about 1860 to 1880. Mentioned in the obituary of the sculptor Henry Foley in the 'Art Journal' of 1874, Miller was described as 'one of the few sculptors whose genius is manifest and who has produced works, chiefly bas-reliefs, that are unsurpassed by any production of their class in modern Art: Foley thought so well of Miller that he commissioned more than one of his works in marble: indeed the great artist was the principal patron of his struggling brother-artist'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | David Livingstone (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Plaster |
| Brief description | Bust, plaster, portrait of Dr. David Livingstone, by Felix Martin Miller, England, 1857 |
| Physical description | Plaster bust, portrait of Dr. Livingstone. Inscribed and signed and dated. On a base with two medallions depicting allegorical scenes. Medallions are inscribed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Given by the sculptor in 1872 together with V&A mus. no. 348-1872. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This is a plaster bust made by Felix Martin Miller in England, dated 1857. The bust represents the explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873) and was said to have been 'modelled from life shortly after his return from Africa in 1856'. The two medallions on the base depict allegorical scenes. In 1857 Miller exhibited a bust of Livingstone at the Royal Academy. He showed a further 'cabinet bust of Dr Livingstone' a year later in 1858. He was active between 1842 and 1880. In 'Sculptors of the Day', published in 1880, Miller is recorded as being at the Art School, South Kensington Museum: he was Master in the Modelling Class from about 1860 to 1880. Mentioned in the obituary of the sculptor Henry Foley in the 'Art Journal' of 1874, Miller was described as 'one of the few sculptors whose genius is manifest and who has produced works, chiefly bas-reliefs, that are unsurpassed by any production of their class in modern Art: Foley thought so well of Miller that he commissioned more than one of his works in marble: indeed the great artist was the principal patron of his struggling brother-artist'. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 349-1872 |
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| Record created | September 12, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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