Edwin Smith, Sculptor Etc Of Cemetery Road. Jerusalem?

[Lizziejampot]

Been doing quite a bit of work on the sculptor Edwin Smith (and his brother Richard, portrait painter) and on Theophilus, Edwin's son. Right now we're particularly interested in Edwin's model of Jerusalem, which is often referred to in the literature and the press - but not, as far as I can find, with a decent description or photo. Can anyone here help?

And anything else of interest about any of the Smith's would be appreciated.

[vox]

Theophilus.

For background.

SH Link

Amazon

Link

>Flickr

"One of the most interesting personalities in photography in the locality in the 1860's was Theophilus Smith (1838-1886) the son of Edwin Smith, Sculptor, of the Cemetery Road Marble and Stone Works at Little Sheffield. Theophilus was a skilled sculptor and modeller whose work included a bust of J. A. Roebuck M.P., and portrait medallions of such local worthies as Sir William Sterndale Bennett, Clifton Sorby and Francis Chantrey. He practised photography from the early 1860s though how much use he made of it in his portrait sculpture work is unknown.

In a notebook of 1850 the twelve-year old Smith wrote an essay on portrait painting which gave some insight into the attitudes to portraiture which were later, applied to photogra­phy. [27] He emphasises that the artist should be true to nature, even to imitation of defects in a person's features, but wryly observes that `Ladies and gentlemen do not approve of artists who entertain such sentiments. - the artist must adapt!' On the posing of figures he says `the elderly should be grave, women should display a noble simplicity and modest cheerfulness".. (see figure 3).

In 1867, a writer urged photogra­phers in similar sentiments to `let the right man be in the right place' for example, `an old man or a child in a Churchyard, a fisherman on the banks of a stream, a farm labourer amongst his stacks of hay or corn' these are in harmony in such pictures -

‘a lady with a tiny parasol and a mighty circumference of crinoline, or a gentleman in glossy hat and kid gloves looks absurdly out of place'. [28]

In 1863 Theophilus Smith made a series of small photographs of rocks, caverns other picturesque features of the Wortley area, and it was around these that grew idea of John Holland's book Wharnecliffe, Wortley and the Valley of the Don, published in 1864. The problems posed by `the almost ceaseless motion of the trees in situation so elevated' is noted, and this was no doubt very detrimental to photography in the days of long exposures.
Owing to the success of the `Wortley' volume ,Holland wrote Sheffield and its Neighbourhood, published in 1865, and again Theophilus Smith provided local views of subjects referred to.

In 1864 the Sheffield flood inspired photographs which in turn spawned engraving and the scenes which decorated pottery. By the 18th March 1864 ,Theophilus Smith was offering a set of six cabinet sized pictures of the Flood priced 10/6d, four stereographs cost 5/-, whilst album size pictures were 1/- each, the proceeds being given to the Inundation Fund. [29] Smith's view (figure 5) of the devastation at Hillsborough with mudstains halfway up the walls of the whitewashed cottages and ladders propped against a damaged house still, over a century later, conveys more than words."

The above from Here - SH Link

[Lizziejampot]

Thanks Vox, that's very helpful.

I think my next stop is the Local Studies Library - I've just found a reference to this book:

"Description of Edwin Smith's model of Jerusalem, as it is, illustrative of the Holy Scriptures, and the fulfilment of prophecy." By Edwin Smith.

[vox]

Scotland
Photographs by, Edwin Smith

Title Scotland
Authors Eric Linklater, Edwin Smith, Olive Cook
Photographs by Edwin Smith
Contributor Eric Linklater
Edition 2
Publisher Thames and Hudson, 1968
Original from Pennsylvania State University
Digitized 15 Apr 2011
Length 224 pages

EDIT: Just looking at the date - it's not the same one is it.

[vox]

There is a Monument by Edwin Smith in the General Cemetary.

"John Fowler, father of Sir John Fowler, of 1845, by Edwin Smith with a relief of a dying tree in a niche below a rounded arch:"

Sheffield
By Ruth Harman, John Minnis
Yale University Press, 2004

[vox]

Another Monument, this time in the Cathedral:

"The most important monuments in the cathedral are those in the Shrewsbury Chapel --

--- Thomas Sutton (left) d.1851 by Edwin Smith"

Sheffield
By Ruth Harman, John Minnis
Yale University Press, 2004

[vox]

August 19th 1843
"On this day a letter was printed regarding the bust of Sheffield Poet James Montgomery, which was commissioned by sculptor Edwin Smith for The Cutlers hall" -----------

The Sheffield Book of Days
By Margaret Drinkall

[vox]

"This evening the town was delighted by an art exhibition in the Mechanics Institute. It was reported that the exhibits have been displayed to perfection by Mr JG Wightman and Mr Edwin Smith ------"

The Sheffield Book of Days
By Margaret Drinkall

[Lizziejampot]

Thanks for these refs Vox - all very helpful. Hopefully we'll be able to locate some of Edwin's work and take some photos. Hope to get into town this week to check out the Jerusalem book.

[Helen Lala]

I visited Osborne House, Isle of Wight, and came across Edwin Smith's model of Jerusalem housed in the Royal family's Swiss Cottage. I was interested in who gave the model to Queen Victoria and why, so I did a Google search and found your post. I hope you can still pick up this message, 4 years on! 

[Ponytail]

Link to,

Theophilus Smith, sculpture, ornamentalist & photographer

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/19536-theophilus-smith-sculptor-ornamentalist-photographer-16-cemetery-road/

 

[Ponytail]

Advertisement from Whites Directory 1856.

 

[Ponytail]

Advertisement from Whites Directory 1852.

Have any of Edwin Smith's marble "chimney pieces" survived?