Paul Raphael Montford
Encyclopedia
Paul Raphael Montford was an English
-born sculptor, active in Australia
; winner of the gold medal of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1934.
, London
, the son of Horace Montford, a sculptor, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth, née Lewis. Horace Mounford won a gold medal at the Royal Academy
schools in 1869. Paul learned modelling from his father and later studied at the Royal Academy schools and was considered a brilliant student. Montford won the gold medal and travelling scholarship for sculpture in 1891 and for many years after was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy exhibitions. Among his larger works in Great Britain are: four groups on the Kelvin bridge, Glasgow
; groups for the city hill, Cardiff
; a statue of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
at Stirling
; and the statues of Alfred Beit
and Julius Wernher
at the entrance to the Royal School of Mines
, London
. Montford married Marian Alice Dibdin (daughter of W. J. Dibdin) a capable oil-painter, on 11 September 1912.
, so Montford decided to go to Australia in 1923 believing the light would be favourable to sculpture. He had difficulty in getting commissions and taught at the Gordon Technical College
in Geelong, Victoria
, and in July 1924 exhibited at the Geelong Art Gallery
. When Charles Web Gilbert
died in 1925, Montford was asked to complete the design for the memorial at Port Said
; but there were difficulties in carrying out the work in Australia, and eventually it was given to Sir Bertram Mackennal
in London. The winning of the competition for the sculpture for the Shrine of Remembrance
at Melbourne
gave Montford many years of work. He designed and modeled the four groups each 23 feet (7 m) high, and the two tympani each 56 feet (17 m) long and 8 feet (2.4 m) high in the centre.
Montford was president of the Victorian Artists Society
1930-2. His generally good work as president was occasionally marred by a certain lack of tact. Some of Montford's best work about this period included the bronzes, "Water Nymph" and "Peter Pan", now in the Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne
, and "The Court Favourite" in the Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne
. Other work includes relief portraits of eight Australian statesmen in the King's Hall, Parliament House, Canberra
, and the war memorial for the Australian Club, Sydney. He was greatly encouraged and pleased on learning in 1934, that his statue of Adam Lindsay Gordon
at Melbourne had been awarded the gold medal of the Royal British Society of Sculptors
for the best piece of sculpture of the year. Another excellent piece of work is his vigorous statue of John Wesley
in front of Wesley Church, Melbourne
. His George Higinbotham
near the treasury
is less successful. Other examples of Montford's work are the memorials to Carlo Catani
(St Kilda), William Benjamin Chaffey
(Mildura), Sir Ross Macpherson Smith
(Adelaide), and 'Pioneer Women' (Sydney). Montford is represented in the National Gallery of Victoria
in Melbourne by "Atalanta", the "Spirit of Anzac", and two busts, and he is also represented in the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide
. He provided a model from which a portrait bust of Socrates was carved for the University of Western Australia by Victor Wager in 1932.
on 15 January 1938 in Richmond, Victoria
; he was survived by his wife and two daughters and a son. His ashes were scattered in the woods at Leatherhead, Surrey, England.
Montford refused to be influenced by the modernist school and was convinced it was a passing phase in art. The Greeks and the great Italians of the Renaissance appealed to him most. He was a sculptor of ability whose work showed good modelling, grace, careful arrangement, and vigour, as the occasion demanded.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born sculptor, active in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; winner of the gold medal of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1934.
Early life
Montford was born in Kentish TownKentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Horace Montford, a sculptor, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth, née Lewis. Horace Mounford won a gold medal at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
schools in 1869. Paul learned modelling from his father and later studied at the Royal Academy schools and was considered a brilliant student. Montford won the gold medal and travelling scholarship for sculpture in 1891 and for many years after was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy exhibitions. Among his larger works in Great Britain are: four groups on the Kelvin bridge, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
; groups for the city hill, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
; a statue of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman GCB was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 1908. He also served as Secretary of State for War twice, in the Cabinets of Gladstone and Rosebery...
at Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
; and the statues of Alfred Beit
Alfred Beit
Alfred Beit was a German, British South African, Jewish gold and diamond magnate, a supporter of British imperialism in Southern Africa and a major donor towards infrastructure development in central and Southern Africa, and to university education and research in several countries.- Life and...
and Julius Wernher
Julius Wernher
Sir Julius Charles Wernher, 1st Baronet was a German-born Randlord and art collector who became part of the English establishment.-Life history:...
at the entrance to the Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London.- History :The Royal School of Mines was established in 1851, as the Government School of Mines and Science Applied to the Arts...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Montford married Marian Alice Dibdin (daughter of W. J. Dibdin) a capable oil-painter, on 11 September 1912.
Career in Australia
Sculpting commissions in England were scarce after World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, so Montford decided to go to Australia in 1923 believing the light would be favourable to sculpture. He had difficulty in getting commissions and taught at the Gordon Technical College
Gordon Institute of TAFE
The Gordon Institute of TAFE is the TAFE institute servicing Geelong since 1888. It has 26,000 students studying on-campus, off-campus and in business or industry ....
in Geelong, Victoria
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, and in July 1924 exhibited at the Geelong Art Gallery
Geelong Art Gallery
The Geelong Art Gallery is a major regional gallery in the city of Geelong in Victoria, Australia. The gallery has approximately 4,000 works of art in its collection...
. When Charles Web Gilbert
Charles Web Gilbert
Charles Marsh Web Gilbert was a self-taught Australian sculptor renowned both within Australia and abroad.Gilbert was born near Maryborough, Victoria. His father died when he was two months old, and his mother was left with three young children. Gilbert received a state school education but began...
died in 1925, Montford was asked to complete the design for the memorial at Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
; but there were difficulties in carrying out the work in Australia, and eventually it was given to Sir Bertram Mackennal
Edgar Bertram Mackennal
Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, KCVO , usually known as Bertram Mackennal, was an Australian sculptor, most famous for designing the coinage and stamps bearing the likeness of George V of the United Kingdom....
in London. The winning of the competition for the sculpture for the Shrine of Remembrance
Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war...
at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
gave Montford many years of work. He designed and modeled the four groups each 23 feet (7 m) high, and the two tympani each 56 feet (17 m) long and 8 feet (2.4 m) high in the centre.
Victorian Artists Society
Victorian Artists Society established in 1856 in Melbourne, Australia promotes artistic education and exhibition in Australia. Fore-runner of the Victorian Academy of Arts, founded in 1870. In 1888 the Australian Artist's Association amalgamated with the Victorian Academy of Arts to form the...
1930-2. His generally good work as president was occasionally marred by a certain lack of tact. Some of Montford's best work about this period included the bronzes, "Water Nymph" and "Peter Pan", now in the Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne
Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne
The Queen Victoria Gardens are Melbourne's memorial to Queen Victoria. Located on 4.8 hectares opposite the Victorian Arts Centre and National Gallery of Victoria, bounded by St Kilda Road, Alexandra Avenue and Linlithgow Avenue....
, and "The Court Favourite" in the Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne
Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne
Flagstaff Gardens is the oldest park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, first established in 1862. In 2005 it is one of the most visited and widely used parks in the city by nearby office workers and tourists...
. Other work includes relief portraits of eight Australian statesmen in the King's Hall, Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
, and the war memorial for the Australian Club, Sydney. He was greatly encouraged and pleased on learning in 1934, that his statue of Adam Lindsay Gordon
Adam Lindsay Gordon
Adam Lindsay Gordon was an Australian poet, jockey and politician.- Early life :Gordon was born at Fayal in the Azores, son of Captain Adam Durnford Gordon who had married his first cousin, Harriet Gordon, both of whom were descended from Adam of Gordon of the ballad...
at Melbourne had been awarded the gold medal of the Royal British Society of Sculptors
Royal British Society of Sculptors
The Royal British Society of Sculptors is a registered charity whose aims are to promote and support sculpture. It has a worldwide membership....
for the best piece of sculpture of the year. Another excellent piece of work is his vigorous statue of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
in front of Wesley Church, Melbourne
Wesley Church, Melbourne
Wesley Church is a Uniting Church in the centre of Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, Australia.Wesley Church was originally built as the central church of the Wesleyan movement in Victoria. It is named after John Wesley , the founder of Methodism...
. His George Higinbotham
George Higinbotham
George Higinbotham was a politician and was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State of Victoria.-Early life:...
near the treasury
Old Treasury Building, Melbourne
The Old Treasury Building on Spring Street in Melbourne, was once home to the Treasury Department of the Government of Victoria, but is now a museum of Melbourne history, known as the Old Treasury Building.-History:...
is less successful. Other examples of Montford's work are the memorials to Carlo Catani
Carlo Catani
Carlo Giorgio Domenico Enrico Catani was a civil engineer who worked in Australia for the Victorian Government for the majority of his career.He oversaw many projects, including:*the draining of the Koo-Wee-Rup swamp...
(St Kilda), William Benjamin Chaffey
William Chaffey
William Benjamin Chaffey was a Canadian engineer and irrigation planner who with his older brother George Chaffey developed what became the cities of Etiwanda, Ontario, and Upland in California, United States of America; and the city of Mildura, Victoria, Australia, as well as the town of Renmark,...
(Mildura), Sir Ross Macpherson Smith
Ross Macpherson Smith
Sir Ross Macpherson Smith KBE, MC & Bar, DFC & Two Bars, AFC was an Australian aviator, who, along with his brother, Sir Keith Macpherson Smith, became the first pilots to fly from England to Australia, ....
(Adelaide), and 'Pioneer Women' (Sydney). Montford is represented in the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
in Melbourne by "Atalanta", the "Spirit of Anzac", and two busts, and he is also represented in the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. He provided a model from which a portrait bust of Socrates was carved for the University of Western Australia by Victor Wager in 1932.
Legacy
Montford died after a short illness of leukemiaLeukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
on 15 January 1938 in Richmond, Victoria
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
; he was survived by his wife and two daughters and a son. His ashes were scattered in the woods at Leatherhead, Surrey, England.
Montford refused to be influenced by the modernist school and was convinced it was a passing phase in art. The Greeks and the great Italians of the Renaissance appealed to him most. He was a sculptor of ability whose work showed good modelling, grace, careful arrangement, and vigour, as the occasion demanded.