425. Sir Alfred Gilbert RA, MVO, DCL (1854-1934) a rare dark bronze patinated circular portrait medallion of Matthew Ridley Corbet ARA, his bearded head to left wearing an open shirt, in octagonal wood frame, indistinct signature and date 1881 bronze 10.5cm. diam. £3,000-5,000 Literature Richard Dorment Alfred Gilbert, Yale page 37 plate 15 Richard Dorment Alfred Gilbert Royal Academy of Arts 1986 catalogue, catalogue number 38 page 132. this medallion was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1886 Philip Attwood Artistic Circles, The Medal in Britain 1880-1918, page 8 for a reference to this medallion Mark Jones The Art of the Medal, London 1977, page 138 illustration no.373
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This medalic portrait is one of the first sculptural pieces by Alfred Gilbert. The landscape painter Matthew Ridley Corbet (1850-1902), had moved to Rome in 1880 to be a pupil of Giovanni Costa and by January 1881 had a studio ‘just above Gilbert’s studio’. The plaster for this medal is now in the British Museum. Two examples of this bronze are known, this and a second in the collection of the Musee d’Orsay, Paris
426. Sir Alfred Gilbert RA, MVO, DCL (1854-1934) The Lawrence Memorial 22ct gold medal, cast and chased for St Bartholomew’s Hospital in memory of Sir William Lawrence, cast with a portrait of Sir William Lawrence almost full-face, within scrolled border, the reverse with a naked youth pressing through a shield, flanked by Wisdom and Science pointing to the Greek inscription ‘Ever to Excel’, awarded in 1898 to Thomas Jeeves Horder, in fitted case 5.5cm. diam. approx 100 grams £4,000-6,000 The Lawrence Memorial scholarship was awarded from 1873 with a medal being given from 1876. The medal was re-designed in 1897 by Gilbert and he oversaw in his studio the casting of the first four medals. Of these four two are known one of 18ct gold in the possession of St Bartholemew’s Hospital and this 22ct example which suggests it might be the first example exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1897. Sir Thomas Jeeves Horder, later Baron Horder of Ashford (1871-1955), the recipient of the medal, had a long and distinguished career in medicine, mostly at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and held Royal Appointments to three monarchs including Extra Physician to Elizabeth II. Literature Richard Dorment Alfred Gilbert, Yale page 252 plate 153 Richard Dorment Alfred Gilbert Royal Academy of Arts 1986 catalogue, catalogue number 41 colour plate page 95 for another example illustrated Leonard Forrer Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem and Seal Engravers, London 1902-30, Volume II 263; Volume VII 371 Isabel Macallister Alfred Gilbert London 1929 plate 153 for the bronze larger and later example illustrated
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