Frederic Leighton, Alfred Gilbert & The New Sculpture, Fine Art Society

If you’re already excited about the major Tate Britain Sculpture Victorious exhibition coming to London this month, you’ll love this hidden gem at the Fine Art Society, featuring major works by the artists who transformed the nature of sculpture production in 19^th century Britain.
Fine Art Society, London exhibition
The Fine Art Society presents a major selling exhibition of
work by Victorian artists Frederic Leighton and Alfred Gilbert, who were the major proponents of Britain’s ‘New Sculpture Movement’. Sculpture as a medium had become stagnated and unoriginal by the 1880s, when Leighton and Gilbert began bold experiments with size, form and production method. They developed new casting techniques that made possible beautiful patinas (a thin layer of varnish) on the surface of their works and they aimed to create a sense of naturalism in the postures of their figures. They were also responsible for the new ‘statuette’ form, which allowed grandiose figure statues to be purchased for private display within the home.
New British sculpture movement
New Sculpture artists were eager to implement techniques from abroad: Albert Gilbert recuperated the ‘lost wax’ technique from Italy, and Harry Bates and William Goscombe John both studied in Paris under Rodin. They were also unafraid to work with unorthodox materials like ivory, aluminium and semi-precious jewels. A vital factor in bringing their work to international audiences’ attention was the seminal First Exhibition of Statuettes, held in 1902 at the Fine Art Society – who were Alfred Gilbert’s dealers during his lifetime.
Just over one century later, this show offers the rare privilege of seeing these works in their original setting at this Fine Art Society event.