John Bacon (1777–1859)

Monument to Lady Maria Micklethwaite, Sprowston Church, 1805.
The monument to Richard Down's children at St James the Great, Friern Barnet.

John Bacon (1777–1859), also known as John Bacon Junior to distinguish him from his more famous father, was an English sculptor.

Life

John Bacon Junior was the second son of the sculptor John Bacon. He entered the Royal Academy Schools at the age of twelve. At fifteen, he exhibited his first work; at sixteen, he was awarded the silver medal of the Royal Academy; and, at seventeen, the gold. His prize work was a statue of Cassandra. His brother Thomas Bacon also exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793–5. His father died in 1799 and John Bacon Jr. succeeded to his business. He finished such works as he found in progress, including the well-known statue of Lord Cornwallis and managed to secure ample patronage for himself. He ceased to exhibit at the Academy in 1824.

There are six of his monuments in St. Paul's Cathedral and many in Westminster Abbey.

From 1818 until 1843, he worked in partnership with his former pupil, Samuel Manning, but the work appears to be largely by Manning, taking advantage of Bacon's reputation but lacking the quality of Bacon's work.[1]

He died in 1859.

He contributed articles on sculpture to Rees's Cyclopædia.

Works

John Bacon Junior's notable works include:[2]

References

  1. ↑ Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1660-1851, Rupert Gunnis
  2. ↑ Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1660-1851, Rupert Gunnis
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Bacon, John (1777–1859)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 

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