2015 Articles

John Gibson, Designer: Sculpture and Reproductive Media in the Nineteenth Century

Ferrari, Roberto C.

This article discusses the British sculptor John Gibson (1790-1866), whose studio in Rome was one of the most popular for those on the Grand Tour. He disseminated his interest in classicism through his many marble sculptures inspired by ancient Greek art, such as "Cupid Disguised as a Shepherd Boy," which was reproduced in lifesize marble at least nine times during his lifetime. But Gibson also utilized new technologies to spread his interest in disegno, allowing his designs to be reproduced by others as Parian porcelain statuettes, cameos, and prints. This redefinition from sculptor to designer culminated in a number of award-winning designs exhibited in his name at the Great Exhibition of 1851.