Percival Ball
Encyclopedia
Percival Ball was an English
sculptor active in Australia
.
Ball was born in Westminster
, London
, the son of Edward Henry Ball, carver, and his wife Louisa, née Percival. He later studied at the Royal Academy
of Arts schools in England winning several gold medals and prizes. Between 1865 and 1882 he exhibited 24 works at Royal Academy exhibitions. Around 1870 Ball travelled to Paris
and then to Munich
and Rome
, where he lived for approximately eight years. His marble
sculptures received high praise.
Ball came to Sydney
, Australia in 1884, seeking a warmer climate to relieve his asthma
and bronchitis
. After six months there he moved to Melbourne
, occupying a studio at Grosvenor chambers
from 1889 and completed the statue of Sir Redmond Barry
which now stands in front of the public library in Melbourne
, as a consequence of the original sculptor, James Gilbert, having died after modelling the statue in clay. Ball was then given other commissions, including the statue of Sir William Wallace
at Ballarat; Francis Ormond
at Melbourne, and some portrait busts, now in the national gallery at Melbourne. In 1886 he was commissioned to sculpt a marble bust of Bishop James Moorhouse
, now at the La Trobe Library. In 1898 he was commissioned by the trustees of the national gallery at Sydney
to design a panel for the facade
of the building. He completed his relief panel Phryne before Praxiteles and then travelled to England to supervise the casting. His architectural sculpture is also on the Victoria and Albert Museum
. He died of heart failure due to asthma and bronchitis in England in 1900.
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...
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...
.
Ball was born in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, 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 Edward Henry Ball, carver, and his wife Louisa, née Percival. He later studied 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...
of Arts schools in England winning several gold medals and prizes. Between 1865 and 1882 he exhibited 24 works at Royal Academy exhibitions. Around 1870 Ball travelled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and then to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he lived for approximately eight years. His 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...
sculptures received high praise.
Ball came to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia in 1884, seeking a warmer climate to relieve his asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
and bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
. After six months there he moved to 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...
, occupying a studio at Grosvenor chambers
Grosvenor Chambers
Grosvenor Chambers at number 9 Collins Street, Melbourne was Australia's first custom built complex of artist's studios.It housed many famous Australian artists studios. Some artists who held studios there include, Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Clara Southern, Charles Conder, E...
from 1889 and completed the statue of Sir Redmond Barry
Redmond Barry
Sir Redmond Barry KCMG was an Irish colonial judge in Victoria, Australia.-Early life:Barry was the son of Major-General Henry Green Barry, of Ballyclough, County Cork and his wife Phoebe Drought, daughter of John Armstrong Drought and Letita Head...
which now stands in front of the public library in 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...
, as a consequence of the original sculptor, James Gilbert, having died after modelling the statue in clay. Ball was then given other commissions, including the statue of Sir William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
at Ballarat; Francis Ormond
Francis Ormond
Francis Ormond was a Scottish-born Australian pastoralist, member of the Parliament of Victoria and philanthropist in the areas of education and religion....
at Melbourne, and some portrait busts, now in the national gallery at Melbourne. In 1886 he was commissioned to sculpt a marble bust of Bishop James Moorhouse
James Moorhouse
James Moorhouse was an Anglican bishop of Melbourne and of Manchester.-Early life and career:Moorhouse was born in Sheffield, England, the only son of James Moorhouse, a book-lover and master-cutler, and his wife Jane Frances née Bowman...
, now at the La Trobe Library. In 1898 he was commissioned by the trustees of the national gallery at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to design a panel for the facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of the building. He completed his relief panel Phryne before Praxiteles and then travelled to England to supervise the casting. His architectural sculpture is also on the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
. He died of heart failure due to asthma and bronchitis in England in 1900.
External links
- Bust of Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards by Percival Ball at the National Portrait Gallery, accessed 2008-02-01
- Works by Percival Ball at ArtNet.com, accessed 2008-02-01