James Redfern
Encyclopedia
James Frank Redfern sculptor, was born at Hartington
in Derbyshire
, in 1838. He is best known for works incorporated into Gothic
churches, including Salisbury Cathedral
and Gloucester Cathedral
. He also created the eight virtue statues which are included in the Albert Memorial
.
s of illustrated papers. At the suggestion of the vicar of Hartington, he executed in alabaster
a group of a warrior and a dead horse. This was brought to the notice of Alexander Beresford-Hope, on whose estate Redfern was born. Hope sent him to Paris to study for six months.
His first work exhibited at the Royal Academy
, Cain and Abel (1859), attracted the notice of John Henry Foley
. He exhibited a Holy Family in 1861, The Good Samaritan in 1863, and other subjects almost every year until his death. These were at first chiefly of a sacred character. He later also executed portrait statues
. His larger works were principally designed for Gothic church decoration.
Redfern completed a commission of sculptures of the four saintly fathers of the Latin Church, St Augustine, St Ambrose, St Gregory and St Jerome. These were originally intended for the northern porch of Bristol Cathedral
but were thought too "papist" by the Dean and rejected. They were rescued by George Edmund Street
and included in his design for Saint Andrew's church
at East Heslerton
in North Yorkshire
.
Among his works are 60 statues on the west front of Salisbury Cathedral
; the statues of the Apostles at Ely
; groups of figures on the reredos
and statues of saints in the south porch at Gloucester Cathedral
; Our Lord in majesty in the chapter-house at Westminster
; an elaborate reredos, representing the crucifixion, with the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Andrew, in St. Andrew's Church, Wells Street; the entombment in the Digby mortuary chapel, Sherborne
; and Expulsion from Eden at St Leonard's Church, Bridgnorth
in Shropshire
.
He also carved the four Christian and four moral virtues including Fortitude on the Albert Memorial
in Kensington Gardens
. He was the youngest sculptor employed and he was personally chosen by Scott. After Redfern's death it was said that his original statues were of a higher quality than their eventual metal realizations which were created by Francis Skidmore
of Coventry. He also created the statue of the Duke of Devonshire
in front of the laboratory at Cambridge.
Redfern died at Hampstead
on 13 June 1876, in the midst of a promising career.
Hartington
Hartington is a village in the Derbyshire Peak District, England, lying on the River Dove close to the Staffordshire border. According to the 2001 census, the parish of Hartington Town Quarter, which also includes Pilsbury, had a population of 345...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, in 1838. He is best known for works incorporated into Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
churches, including Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
and Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
. He also created the eight virtue statues which are included in the Albert Memorial
Albert Memorial
The Albert Memorial is situated in Kensington Gardens, London, England, directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband, Prince Albert who died of typhoid in 1861. The memorial was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the...
.
Early life
As a boy Redfern showed a taste for art by carving and modeling from the woodcutWoodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s of illustrated papers. At the suggestion of the vicar of Hartington, he executed in alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
a group of a warrior and a dead horse. This was brought to the notice of Alexander Beresford-Hope, on whose estate Redfern was born. Hope sent him to Paris to study for six months.
Career
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...
, Cain and Abel (1859), attracted the notice of John Henry Foley
John Henry Foley
John Henry Foley , often referred to as JH Foley, was an Irish sculptor, best known for his statues of Daniel O'Connell in Dublin, and of Prince Albert in London. Both are still considered iconic in each city.-Life:...
. He exhibited a Holy Family in 1861, The Good Samaritan in 1863, and other subjects almost every year until his death. These were at first chiefly of a sacred character. He later also executed portrait statues
Statues
Statues is a popular children's game, often played in Australia but with versions throughout the world.-General rules:# A person starts out as the "Curator" and stands at the end of a field. Everyone else playing stands at the far end...
. His larger works were principally designed for Gothic church decoration.
Bristol Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is the Church of England cathedral in the city of Bristol, England, and is commonly known as Bristol Cathedral...
but were thought too "papist" by the Dean and rejected. They were rescued by George Edmund Street
George Edmund Street
George Edmund Street was an English architect, born at Woodford in Essex.- Life :Street was the third son of Thomas Street, solicitor, by his second wife, Mary Anne Millington. George went to school at Mitcham in about 1830, and later to the Camberwell collegiate school, which he left in 1839...
and included in his design for Saint Andrew's church
St Andrew's Church, East Heslerton
St Andrew's Church, East Heslerton, is a redundant Anglican church at the south end of the village of East Heslerton, North Yorkshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.-History:The...
at East Heslerton
East Heslerton
East Heslerton is a village, near Malton in North Yorkshire, England.-The church of Saint Andrew:The church was designed by George Edmund Street commissioned by Sir Tatton Sykes of Sledmere House. Work started in 1873 and St Andrew’s was completed in 1877...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
.
Significant works
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
; the statues of the Apostles at Ely
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
; groups of figures on the reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
and statues of saints in the south porch at Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
; Our Lord in majesty in the chapter-house at Westminster
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
; an elaborate reredos, representing the crucifixion, with the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Andrew, in St. Andrew's Church, Wells Street; the entombment in the Digby mortuary chapel, Sherborne
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
; and Expulsion from Eden at St Leonard's Church, Bridgnorth
St Leonard's Church, Bridgnorth
St Leonard's Church, Bridgnorth, is a redundant Anglican church in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.-History:...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
.
He also carved the four Christian and four moral virtues including Fortitude on the Albert Memorial
Albert Memorial
The Albert Memorial is situated in Kensington Gardens, London, England, directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband, Prince Albert who died of typhoid in 1861. The memorial was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the...
in Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, is one of the Royal Parks of London, lying immediately to the west of Hyde Park. It is shared between the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The park covers an area of 111 hectares .The open spaces...
. He was the youngest sculptor employed and he was personally chosen by Scott. After Redfern's death it was said that his original statues were of a higher quality than their eventual metal realizations which were created by Francis Skidmore
Francis Skidmore
Francis Alfred Skidmore was a British metalworker best known for high profile commissions including the glass and metal roof of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History , the Hereford Cathedral choir screen and the Albert Memorial in London.Skidmore was heavily influenced by Gothic...
of Coventry. He also created the statue of the Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
in front of the laboratory at Cambridge.
Redfern died at Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
on 13 June 1876, in the midst of a promising career.