John Bacon (sculptor, born 1777)

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Equestrian statue of William III, London
Monument to Lady Maria Micklethwaite, Sprowston Church, 1805.
The monument to Richard Down's children at St James the Great, Friern Barnet.
Memorial to Lord Henniker in Rochester Cathedral

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

Life[]

John Bacon Junior was the second son of the sculptor John Bacon and his wife Elizabeth Wade. He was born at his parent's home in Newman Street in London on 13 March 1777.[1]

He entered the Royal Academy Schools at the age of twelve, one of the youngest members ever.

At fifteen, he exhibited his first work; at sixteen, he was awarded the silver medal of the Royal Academy; and i 1797 won the Gold Medal for his 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.

Building projects included the figure of Providence on Trinity House in 1796 and replacing the figures of "Madness" and "Melancholy" over the entrance to Bethlem Hospital (better known as Bedlam) in 1814.

There are six of his monuments in St. Paul's Cathedral and at least eight in Westminster Abbey. There are also two in Windsor Castle.

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. Bacon himself went into virtual retirement from 1830.[2]

He died in Bath, Somerset on 14 July 1859.

He contributed articles on sculpture to Rees's Cyclopædia.

Family[]

In 1801 he was married to Susanna Sophia Taylor (b.1782).

Works[]

John Bacon Junior's notable works include:[3]

With Samuel Manning[]

References[]

  1. ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis
  2. ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1660–1851, Rupert Gunnis
  3. ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1660–1851, Rupert Gunnis
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  • "Bacon, John (1777-1859)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

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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