Person    | Male  Born 6/4/1921  Died 5/7/2000

Franta Belsky

Categories: Sculpture

Countries: Czechoslovakia

Born Czechoslovakia as Frantisek Belsky. Fled 3 times, twice to escape the Nazis and then again from the Communists. Ornamental Passions we learn that all Belsky's sculptures contain an empty Guinness bottle, the day's newspaper, a sixpence and a note stating that he was the artist.

Other works in London: the 1957 Shell fountain in front of the Shell Building on the South Bank and The Lesson in Bethnal Green.

From Radio Prague International: "He served in the Battle of France, was twice mentioned in the dispatches during the war and saw Winston Churchill at an inspection after the evacuation at Dunkirk. .. After the war, Bělský returned to Czechoslovakia and studied sculpting. However, his studies were disrupted when Bělský escaped Czechoslovakia a second time after the Communist coup d’etat in 1948, but he soon found himself learning again, this time at the Royal College of Art in London. The artist’s first major commission came at the Festival of Britain in 1951. ... Bělský became the official sculptor of the royal family, creating the busts of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as of the princes Philip, William, Andrew and the queen mother."

2023: English Radio CZ has a very informative interview with Bohumil Vostal, the author of a book about Belsky "He Portraited the Queen of England".

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Franta Belsky

Creations i

Cunningham bust

Unveiled by Prince Philip in 1967. Inside the bust there is a ½ pint Guinness...

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Mountbatten statue

9 foot 5 inches, bronze on a plinth at the centre of a low stepped platform. ...

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Tattersall's auction yard

This sculpture 'Triga' recalls the racehorses that were bought and sold on th...

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Other Subjects

Sylvia Gilley

Sylvia Gilley

Sculptor.  Gilley was a studio assistant to Frank Dobson 1930-1939. The image is a self-portrait from 1936.

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial
John Skeaping

John Skeaping

Painter and sculptor. Born John Rattenbury Skeaping in South Woodford, Essex. He studied at Goldsmith's College, the Central School of Arts and Crafts and later at the Royal Academy. In 1924 he won...

Person, Art, Sculpture, Mexico

1 memorial
Anne Seymour Damer

Anne Seymour Damer

Anne Seymour Damer (née Conway) was a sculptor, author, traveller, theatrical producer and actress. Honorary exhibitor at the Royal Academy 1784-1818. Divorced after 7 years of marriage, 2 years la...

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial
Harold Brown

Harold Brown

Sculptor active in 1938 - 50. In 1938 he was living in Belfast. With no image of Brown available on-line we are pleased to use the photo of his 1950 lost mermaid.

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Jomo Kenyatta

Jomo Kenyatta

Prime Minister and President of Kenya. Born as Kamau wa Muigai, in the village of Gatundu, British East Africa (now Kenya). His birth year is approximate. He joined the Kikuyu Central Association a...

Person, Politics & Administration, Kenya

1 memorial
Queen's Theatre - Wardour Street

Queen's Theatre - Wardour Street

W1, Wardour Street, Queens Theatre

The Les Mis plaque is laid in the ground at the front, audience, entrance.

4 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
UK Centre for Carnival Arts

UK Centre for Carnival Arts

An organisation based in Luton and dedicated to carnival arts.

Group, Community / Clubs

3 memorials
Stoke Newington Borough Council

Stoke Newington Borough Council

Formed from the Vestry of Stoke Newington Parish in the County of London, and the South Hornsey Urban District Council in Middlesex. In 1965 it became part of the London Borough of Hackney.

Group, Politics & Administration

3 memorials
Westminster Fire Station

Westminster Fire Station

SW1, Greycoat Place, 4

Our photo was taken in 2014 when 'Boris' was of course the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator