Francis Bird
Encyclopedia
Francis Bird was one of the leading English sculptors of his time. He is mainly remembered for sculptures in Westminster Abbey
and St Paul's Cathedral
. He carved a tomb for the dramatist William Congreve
in Westminster Abbey and sculptures of the apostles and evangelists
on the exterior of St Paul's. Despite his success, later in life Bird did little sculpting. He had inherited money from his father-in-law and set up a marble
import business.
Francis Bird was born in the parish of St. James's, Westminster in 1667. At about eleven years old he was sent to Flanders where he studied under the sculptor Cozins. He then went on to Rome and worked in the studio of Le Gros; though this is disputed as it is unlikely that Legros had set his studio up at this early date. He returned home about 1689. He had been so long abroad he found he could hardly speak English. In London he worked under Grinling Gibbons
and C. G. Gibber, but after a few years went back to Rome for a further nine months study under Le Gros.
St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Bird is best known for his work at St. Paul's Cathedral. In March 1706 he was paid £329 for the panel over the west door and in December of that year £650 for carving the "Conversion of St. Paul", 64' long and 17' high for the great pediment. This contained "eight large figures” six whereof on horseback and several of them "two and a half feet imbost". Between 1712 and 1713 he executed the two panels over the west portico for £339, but it was not until 1721 that he carved the statues of various apostles and evangelists (each nearly 12 ft (3.7 m). high) for the west front and south side of the Cathedral. For these he received a total sum of £2,040.
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
. He carved a tomb for the dramatist William Congreve
William Congreve
William Congreve was an English playwright and poet.-Early life:Congreve was born in Bardsey, West Yorkshire, England . His parents were William Congreve and his wife, Mary ; a sister was buried in London in 1672...
in Westminster Abbey and sculptures of the apostles and evangelists
Four Evangelists
In Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
on the exterior of St Paul's. Despite his success, later in life Bird did little sculpting. He had inherited money from his father-in-law and set up a marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
import business.
Francis Bird was born in the parish of St. James's, Westminster in 1667. At about eleven years old he was sent to Flanders where he studied under the sculptor Cozins. He then went on to Rome and worked in the studio of Le Gros; though this is disputed as it is unlikely that Legros had set his studio up at this early date. He returned home about 1689. He had been so long abroad he found he could hardly speak English. In London he worked under Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons was an English sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including St Paul's Cathedral, Blenheim Palace and Hampton Court Palace. He was born and educated in Holland where his father was a merchant...
and C. G. Gibber, but after a few years went back to Rome for a further nine months study under Le Gros.
St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Bird is best known for his work at St. Paul's Cathedral. In March 1706 he was paid £329 for the panel over the west door and in December of that year £650 for carving the "Conversion of St. Paul", 64' long and 17' high for the great pediment. This contained "eight large figures” six whereof on horseback and several of them "two and a half feet imbost". Between 1712 and 1713 he executed the two panels over the west portico for £339, but it was not until 1721 that he carved the statues of various apostles and evangelists (each nearly 12 ft (3.7 m). high) for the west front and south side of the Cathedral. For these he received a total sum of £2,040.