Horace Montford
Born 1840
Died 21 October 1919
Active: 1876 - 1910
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, stone carver, wood carver
Born in St. Mary's Parish, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He was the son of Joseph Montford (possibly a cabinet maker) and Anna Montford. Joseph either died or left the family before 1851, after which Anna Montford worked as an upholsterer and a monthly nurse. Horace was apprenticed as a stone and wood carver (possibly to his older brother Henry who was a cabinet maker). Horace may have studied art in Manchester, where he was living with his mother and siblings around 1861.
Wealth at death: £182 3s. 10d.
Probate date: 23 December 1919
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Medallion Portrait of Miss Deane Lewis
Psyche and the Casket of Venus
Daphne
1880 (Presumed)
Eve
1880 (Presumed)
The Birth of Venus
1883 (Presumed)
The Infant Psyche
1885 (Presumed)
Leda
1885 (Presumed)
Pysche Faints
1889 (Presumed)
The Charmer
1889 (Presumed)
Syrinx
1891 (Presumed)
The Birth of Venus
1901
The Ring of Roses
1901
Locations
Address 8 Boundary Lane Hulme Manchester
1861 (Circa)
Address 1 Orchard Cottages Ingrave Street London
1871 (Circa)
Address 5 Ingrave Street Falcon Road London SW
1875 (Circa) - 1880 (Circa)
Address 11 Ingrave Street Battersea London
1881 (Circa)
Address 55 Shillington Street Falcon Lane London SW
1882 - 1888
Address 8 Winder's Road Falcon Lane London
1884 (Circa) - 1898 (Circa)
Address 26 Larkhall Rise Clapham London SW
1901 (Circa) - 1910 (Circa)
Address 4 Lurline Gardens Battersea London
1919
Died while living at this address.
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Eleventh Annual Exhibition of Modern Pictures, also Loan and Permanent Collection of Pictures, Etc. (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1891
'Syrinx'
Exhibited at Third Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour, and Architectural Designs, &c (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1883
Multiple works
Exhibited at Fifth Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour, and Architectural Designs, &c. (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1885
'Leda'
Exhibited at Ninth Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures, also Loan and Permanent Collection of Pictures, Etc., including the Leifchild Gift of Sculpture (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1889
Multiple works
Exhibited at Yorkshire Fine Art Society, Autumn Exhibition, 1880
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1890
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1901
'Morning'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1879
'S. H. Lewis, Esq.'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1881
'The Birth of Venus'
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the thirtieth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1900
'Psyche and the Casket of Venus'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1876
'Eve'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1878
'A Lancashire Witch'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1869 - 1910
Exhibited 30 times, one or two works in most years apart from 1876-1891 when often showed three to four.
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, 1861-1951
1880 - 1911
Exhibited 11 times (an average of 2 works per show)
Exhibited at Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures: the tenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1880
1880
A Lancashire Witch (cat. no. 1048, not for sale); Art (cat. no. 1055, bronze, £35); Literature (cat. no. 1061, £35); Iphigenia (cat. no. 1072, marble, £525).
Exhibited at Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures: the twelfth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1882
1882
The Birth of Venus (cat. no. 1589, £50).
Exhibited at Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures: the fourteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1884
1884
Eve (cat. no. 2214, terracotta, on Screen in Room B, £3 3s.); Proserpine (cat. no. 2227, bronze, £30); The Infant Psyche (cat. no. 2236, £38); A Bacchante Resting after the Dance (cat. no. 2245, terracotta, £26 5s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the seventeenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1887
1887
Psyche Faints (cat. no. 1269, bronze, £10 10s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the eighteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1888
1888
Threatened Reprisals (cat. no. 1396, bronze, £150); A Worthy Representative (cat. no. 1405, bronze, not for sale); Charmed (cat. no. 1407, bronze, £15).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the nineteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1889
1889
'Thine!' (cat. no. 1531, bronze bust, £30); Under the Cliffs (cat. no. 1533, bronze, £31 10s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the twentieth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1890
1890
Syrinx (cat. no. 1293, terracotta, £21).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-second (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1892
1892
The Mammoth Hunter (cat. no. 1339, £30, in bronze £50).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-third (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1893
1893
Clytie (cat. no. 1182, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fourth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1894
1894
Psyche armed as Cupid (cat. no. 1330, bronze, £50); A Bacchante (cat. no. 1347, terracotta statuette, £5).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1899
1899
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (cat. no. 1431, plaster bust, not for sale).
Exhibited at International Exhibition, Glasgow, 1901
1901
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the thirty-first (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1901
1901
Hymn to Demeter (cat. no. 1648, bronzed plaster statue (sketch p. 122), not for sale).
Institutional and Business Connections
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1905 - 1908
Amongst the second wave of those invited to join 'without further nomination' [2 March 1905, Royal Society of British Sculptors, Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I].
Resigned from Royal Society of British Sculptors
7 December 1908
Letter of resignation recieved with regret [7 December 1908, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
1865 - 1869 (Presumed)
Awarded the silver medal for the best model from the antique in 1865. See Royal Academy 'Annual Report', (1867), p. 16.
Teacher at Royal Academy Schools
13 December 1881 - 1903
Listed as the Curator of the 'newly-established School of Modelling from the Life', and was appointed on a salary of £100 a year in 1881. See Royal Academy 'Annual Report, 1881', (1882), p. 18. Montford was also appointed Curator of the new Day School of Sculpture in 1890. See 'Annual Report, 1890', (1891), p. 15.
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
'Stone & Wood Carver'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculptor' working on own account at home
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor, Statues, [undecipherable word could be 'replicas', but unlikely], Pensioned Curator. Royal Academy'
Sources
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the thirtieth, 1900 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1900
Cat. No. 1451, p. 40
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fourth, 1894 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1894
pp. 49-52.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-third, 1893 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1893
pp. 42-45.
Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the eighteenth, 1888 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1888
pp. 54-56.
Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the seventeenth, 1887 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1887
pp. 74-76.
Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the twentieth, 1890 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1890
pp. 46-48.
Catalogue of the Autumn Exhibition (Yorkshire Fine Art Society, Leeds) 1880
1880
Cat. Nos. 491, 492, 493, 540, pp. 53, 57
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1876
1876
Cat. Nos. 908, 915, 923, 928, 930, pp. 79, 80, 81, 94
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1878
1878
Cat. No. 1041, 1054, pp. 86, 88, 103
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1879
1879
Cat. Nos. 1021, 1022, pp. 82, 96
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1881
1881
Cat. No. 1490, pp. 115, 134
Catalogue of the First Spring Exhibition 1880
1880
Cat. Nos. 747, 760, pp. 65, 66, xvii
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1890
1890
Cat. Nos. 760, 761, 763, 942, pp. 71, 85, I17
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1901
1901
Cat. No. 182, pp. 22, 62
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841
2010
Class: HO107; Piece: 927; Book: 13; Civil Parish: St Mary; County: Shropshire; Enumeration District: 1; Folio: 14; Page: 20; Line: 8; GSU roll: 474591
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
2005
Class: RG 9; Piece: 2889; Folio: 116; Page: 9; GSU roll: 543045
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
RG10 piece 703 folio 149 page 34
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11 piece 642 folio 4 page 2
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG12; Piece: 431; Folio 107; Page 11; GSU roll: 6095541
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN2263 RG78PN77 RD26 SD4 ED13 SN18
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Horace Monford (sic)
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1840
Registration District: Shrewsbury
Inferred County: Shropshire
Volume: 18
Page: 178
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Horace Mountford (sic)
Probate Date: 23 Dec 1919
Death Date: 21 Oct 1919
Death Place: Surrey, England
Registry: London, England
Fifth Annual Autumn Exhibition of Modern Pictures in Oil and Water Colour, and Architectural Designs, Etc., 1885
1885
pp. 104-105.
International Exhibition Glasgow, 1901,
Official Catalogue of the Fine Art Section
1901
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures, 1880 Walker Art Gallery
1880
pp. 67-69.
Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures, 1884 Walker Art Gallery
1884
pp. 129-132.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
2 March 1905; 7 December 1908.
Citing this record
'Horace Montford', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [https://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib5_1205415785, accessed 04 Dec 2023]
