George Holding I
Born 1816 (Circa)
Active: 1846 - 1853
Country of birth and death: England
Wood carver, carver &, gilder, artist, teacher
He was the son of Henry Holding (born c.1789 in Kirkland, Lancashire), a pattern designer. George trained as a carver and gilder, and had his own business in the Manchester area. So far listings in local trade directories and rate books between the mid-1840s and early 1850s have been found. From about 1851 to 1853, George taught drawing, modelling and architecture at Manchester School of Design.
He was greatly admired for his wood carving. Thus in January 1846 a review of the ‘Exposition of British Industrial Art at Manchester’ in the 'Art-Union' illustrated two examples of Holding's carvings - a dead game bird, and some poppies and ears of wheat - which had won a prize. Holding was described as an 'artist...who has established his right to the title.' The reliefs were praised for the delicacy and fidelity of the carving work, and the author concluded that 'it is scarcely classing his works too high, to say they approach the best modern productions in this class of Art.'
Two of George's brothers, John Holding (born c.1816), and Henry J. Holding (born c.1834 in Salford) both became painters. John was the father of George Holding II, a sculptor (see separate entry).
‘Exposition of British Industrial Art at Manchester’, Art Journal, supplementary number, January 1846, pp. 23-54, see p. 38.
Institutional and Business Connections
Teacher of architecture at Manchester School of Design
1851 - 1853
Teacher of drawing at Manchester School of Design
1851 (Circa) - 1853 (Circa)
Taught the drawing of ornament in outline and shading from the flat, with reference to art in relief
Teacher of modeling at Manchester School of Design
1851 (Circa) - 1853 (Circa)
Traded as George Holding
Personal and Professional Connections
Related to George Holding II
They were almost certainly uncle and nephew. This is providing George Holding I has been correctly identified as a carver and gilder, born c.1816 and brother to John Holding (1815-99), a designer of patterns and watercolourist who was the father of George Holding II, a sculptor.
Taught Frederick Broach
Taught Daniel Statham
Taught J. Robinson
Taught T. Wolstenholme
Taught T. Carson
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841
'Gilder', and his father, Henry (born c.1791) and his brother, John (born c.1816) both 'Pattern Designer'
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841
2010
Class: HO107; Piece: 586; Book: 5; Civil Parish: Salford; County: Lancashire; Enumeration District: 8; Folio: 28; Page: 8; Line: 8; GSU roll: 438739
Manchester School of Design, A Report of the Proceeedings at the Annual Meeting, January 21, 1852
1852
p. 2
Manchester School of Design, A Report of the Proceeedings at the Annual Meeting, June 6, 1851
1851
p. 3
Citing this record
'George Holding I', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=ann_1560710328, accessed 24 Sep 2023]
