Person    | Male  Born 23/2/1817  Died 1/7/1904

G. F. Watts

Categories: Art, Sculpture

Born in London. His piano-making father named him after Handel.

Member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th-century artists based in the Holland Park district, especially in Melbury Road and Holland Park Road. Other key members include: Frederic Leighton, Valentine Prinsep, Luke Fildes, Hamo Thornycroft and William Burges.

Married briefly to Ellen Terry, many years his junior. 1886 married Mary Tytler. Leading supporter of the campaign against the use of birds' plumage in fashionable hats, a campaign which led to the creation of the Society for the Protection of Birds. Watts had a gallery built near Guildford for his work, which he opened in 1903. It is open to the public and still displays just his work, which we found of questionable quality. Much more interesting is the chapel, a short walk away, built by his wife, Mary, 1898-1904, well worth a visit.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
G. F. Watts

Commemorated ati

PP - GFW

We can find no maker, nor date for the erection of this memorial, but its pos...

Read More

PP - Watts relief

This looks as if it's carved wood but Bonhams says it's probably painted cera...

Read More

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
G. F. Watts

Creations i

Lord Holland statue

Yet anonther lazy London statue - see Peabody for our log of all the seated s...

Read More

Physical Energy

{On a plaque laid into the ground in front of the statue:} George Frederic Wa...

Read More

PP - 3A - Griffin

Thomas Griffin, fitters labourer, April 12, 1899, in a boiler explosion at a ...

Read More

PP - 3B - Peart & Dean

The “fireman” on a steam train was the man who stoked the engine. You’ve seen...

Read More

PP - 3C - Rogers

The Stella was a passenger ferry in service with the London and South Western...

Read More

Other Subjects

Sir Luke Fildes

Sir Luke Fildes

Illustrator and portrait painter. Born Samuel Luke Fildes at 22 Standish Street, Liverpool. He became known as a woodcut designer for magazines such as 'The Graphic', the first issue of which inclu...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Langlands & Bell

Langlands & Bell

From their website: "Artists, Ben Langlands & Nikki Bell...began collaborating after they met at art school in London 1977. They are based in London...."

Group, Art

1 memorial
Arts Council of England / Great Britain

Arts Council of England / Great Britain

1940 the Committee for Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA) was set up by Royal Charter.  About 1946 it became the Arts Council of Great Britain and in 1994 it was split into national bodies,...

Group, Art

15 memorials
Sir Edwin Landseer

Sir Edwin Landseer

Painter and sculptor especially of animals. Born 88 Queen Anne Street East, Marylebone. Died at home, 18 St John's Wood Road.

Person, Art, Sculpture

1 memorial
Peter Vanderbank

Peter Vanderbank

Engraver. Probably born Paris. Came to London in 1674. Died at his brother's in Hertfordshire.

Person, Art, Craft / Design, France

1 memorial