Statue

V&A façade - Millais

Erection date: 1909

Inscription

J. E. Millais

The sculptor is elsewhere logged as James Alexander Stevenson but the niche gives "Mirande", as best we can read.

2022: We were contacted by Sally Platt, the great great niece of the sculptor, who explained: "The sculpture of the figure of John Millais on the facade of the museum was done by James Alexander Stevenson who signed himself as Myranda to avoid being confused with another artist of the same name."

Site: Victoria & Albert Museum façade (38 memorials)

SW7, Cromwell Road

Excluding the allegories (such as Knowledge) there are 36 statues on the two public façades of the V&A Museum, on Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road. This building was designed by Aston Webb and built 1899-1909. Each statue has the subject's name on a label beneath the feet and the sculptor's name inscribed in the wall of the niche to the right of the statue. Starting in Cromwell Road and reading right to left:

Group of 6 British architects:
Chas. Barry
W. Chambers
Chrisr. Wren
Inigo Jones
John Thorpe
Wykeham

Group of 5 British painters:
J. E. Millais
Ld. Leighton
G. F. Watts
J. Constable
J. M. W. Turner

And flanking the entrance:
Queen Alexandra (to the right)
King Edward VII (to the left)

Albert (below the arch)
Victoria (in the arch)

On either side of the arch, at eye level there is a foundation stone:
Stone laid by Edward VII (to the right)
Stone laid by Victoria (to the left)

Group of 5 British painters:
R. Cosway
G. Romney
T. Gainsborough
J. Reynolds
W. Hogarth

Group of 6 British sculptors:
Alfred Stevens
John H. Foley
F. L. Chantrey
John Flaxman
John Bacon
Grinlg. Gibbons

And around the corner in Exhibition Road:

Group of 5 British craftsmen:
William Morris
Roger Payne
J. Wedgwood
T. Chippendale
Thos. Tompion

Group of 5 British craftsmen:
Huntingn. Shaw
George Heriot
William Caxton
William Torel
St. Dunstan

Note that there are more Johns than women but that's not difficult since, excluding royalty, there are no women!

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
V&A façade - Millais

Subjects commemorated i

Sir John Everett Millais

Born Southampton. A prodigy, the youngest ever pupil at the Royal Academy Sch...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
V&A façade - Millais

Created by i

James Alexander Stevenson (Myranda)

Stevenson signed himself as Myranda (a elision of his wife's name, Myra, and ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
V&A façade - Millais

Also at this site i

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