John G. Mossman (1817 in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

– 1890) was one of a number of English sculptors who dominated the production and teaching of

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

for 50 years after his arrival with his father and brothers from his native London in 1828. His father William Mossman (1793–1851) was also a sculptor, and a pupil of Sir

Francis Chantrey Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey (7 April 1781 – 25 November 1841) was an English sculptor. He became the leading portrait sculptor in Regency era Britain, producing busts and statues of many notable figures of the time. Chantrey's most notable w ...

. He was trained both by his father and under

Carlo Marochetti Baron Pietro Carlo Giovanni Battista Marochetti (14 January 1805 – 29 December 1867) was an Italian-born French sculptor who worked in France, Italy and Britain. He completed many public sculptures, often in a neo-classical style, plus re ...

. Together with his brother George Mossman they ran the successful firm of J & G Mossman which dominated

sculpture in the mid-19th century. The family was originally Scottish, being related to

James Mossman James Mosman or Mossman (died 1573) was a Scottish goldsmith. He and his son John Mosman were supporters of the cause of Mary, Queen of Scots. James Mosman was executed in 1573 for counterfeiting coins in Edinburgh Castle. John Mosman carried lett ...

- a prominent jeweller and supporter of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

who was executed after the Long Siege of

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...

in 1573. Mossman sculpted the now iconic

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

and

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...

statues adorning the facade of the

Citizens Theatre The Citizens Theatre, in what was the Royal Princess's Theatre, is the creation of James Bridie and playwright in residence Paul Vincent Carroll is based in Glasgow, Scotland, as a principal producing theatre. The theatre includes a 500-seat ...

, Glasgow along with the four

muses In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

. His work can also be seen in the statues that adorn the Atheneum off Royal Exchange Square. He apprenticed James Pittendrigh MacGillivray and they worked together for several projects. John Mossman's is the distinctive hand in Glasgow's public statues of the latter half of the 19th century, and a number of works for the

Glasgow Necropolis The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian era, Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of St. Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow, Glasgow Cathedral (St. Mungo's Cathedral). Fifty thousand individuals have ...

. He exhibited in the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

from 1868–79. He is buried with his parents in Sighthill Cemetery, Glasgow.

Notable works

* Bust of James Lumsden (1840) * Statue of

Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850), was a British Conservative statesman who twice was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835, 1841–1846), and simultaneously was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834–183 ...

Glasgow (1853) * Completion of

James Fillans James Fillans (27 March 1808 – 27 September 1852) was a Scottish sculptor, poet and artist with a short but influential career in the early 19th century. Life Fillans was born in Wilsontown Ironworks, Wilsontown, Lanarkshire. In early life ...

' monument, "Grief", to James Fillans Snr, following his sudden death (1854) * Monument to Henry Monteith in the

(1854) * Bust of William Connal (1856) * Monument to Major William Middleton,

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral () is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Glasgow, and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the province of Glasgow, from the 12th ...

(1860) * Statue of Rev Patrick Brewster, Woodside Cemetery, Paisley (1863) * Bust of Principal Cunninghame (1863) * Bust of William Towers-Clark in the library of the

Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow The Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow is a professional body of legal practitioners based in Glasgow and providing services to lawyers in the city and the surrounding area. The Faculty owns and operates the largest law library in the West ...

(1875) * Bust of the Duke of Hamilton for the Hamilton Monument at

Cadzow Hamilton (; ) is a large town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It sits south-east of Glasgow, south-west of Edinburgh and north of Carlisle. It is situated on t ...

(1863) * Bust of Norman MacLeod (1868) * Casting of "

The Lady of the Lake The Lady of the Lake (, , , , ) is a title used by multiple characters in the Matter of Britain, the body of medieval literature and mythology associated with the legend of King Arthur. As either actually fairy or fairy-like yet human enchantres ...

" figure for the

Loch Katrine Loch Katrine (; or ) is a freshwater loch in the Trossachs area of the Scottish Highlands, east of Loch Lomond within the Stirling (council area), Stirling council area. It mostly lies within the Shires of Scotland, historic and registration c ...

fountain (1872) * Fountain and relief of Hugh MacDonald (1872) * Bust of

Henry Glassford Bell Henry Glassford Bell (5 November 18037 January 1874) was a Scotland, Scottish lawyer, poet and historian. Life Born in Glasgow, the son of advocate James Bell, he received his education at the High School of Glasgow, Glasgow High School and at ...

in the

Scottish National Portrait Gallery National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. Portrait holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Collec ...

(1874) * Statue of Alexander Wilson, weaver-poet, Abbey Close, Paisley * Statue of

David Livingstone David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, and an explorer in Africa. Livingstone was married to Mary Moffat Livings ...

Cathedral Square

(1875) assisted by James Pittendrigh MacGillivray. * Statue of

Thomas Campbell (poet) Thomas Campbell (27 July 1777 – 15 June 1844) was a Scottish poet. He was a founder and the first President of the Clarence Club and a co-founder of the Literary Association of the Friends of Poland; he was also one of the initiators of a pl ...

in George Square Glasgow (1877) assisted by James Pittendrigh Macgillivray * Bust of

Alexander Thomson Alexander "Greek" Thomson (9 April 1817 – 22 March 1875) was an eminent Scottish architect and architectural theorist who was a pioneer in sustainable building. Although his work was published in the architectural press of his day, it was ...

(1877) ("Greek" Thomson) * Bust of "Rosalind" in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery (1879) * Bust of

Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet Colonel Sir Michael Robert Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet (26 November 1826 – 10 December 1903) was a British baronet and Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1855 to 1865. He was the son of Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart ...

(1880) * Statue of Provost Lumsden (1881) * Statue of Norman MacLeod (1881)

External links

Glasgow Sculpture
1817 births 1890 deaths Sculptors from London English male sculptors People associated with Glasgow Monumental masons 19th-century English sculptors Anglo-Scots {{UK-sculptor-stub