John Evan Thomas FSA
Born 15 January 1810
Died 9 October 1873
Active: 1831 - 1870
Country of birth and death: Wales
Sculptor, magistrate, deputy lieutenant of brecknockshire
Born in Brecon, Brecknockshire. He was sent to study with Francis Chantrey. His younger brother William Meredyth Thomas (1819–1877), was also a student of Chantrey. William Meredyth worked as his assistant for thirty years between 1840-73. Another brother, James Lewis Thomas became a successful architect and chief surveyor to the War Office, also exhibiting painting s at the Royal Academy between 1855-66. John Evan had a very successful career as a sculptor based largely on Welsh patronage.
In 1842 he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. Thomas was one of the original sponsors of the Great Exhibition of 1851. He retired to Penisha'r-Pentre, a mansion at Llansbyddyd, Brecknockshire, in 1857 and served as a JP, deputy lieutenant of Brecknockshire in 1862, and high sheriff in 1868. He died at his London address, 58 Buckingham Palace Road.
Wealth at death: £450 0s. 0d.
Probate date: 20 November 1873
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.
Bust of Sir Benjamin Hall, Bart., MP
Science
1851
Death of General Sir Thomas Pieton, at Waterloo
1855
Science Unveiling Ignorance
1870 (Presumed)
Distressed Mother
1870 (Presumed)
Locations
Address 7 Lower Belgrave Place London | View on map
1838 - 1870
Address 58 Buckingham Palace Road London | View on map
1870 - 1873
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at The International Exhibition, London, 1862
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
p.52
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1838 - 1870
Exhibited 22 times, on average two works per year, portrait busts or models for statues. In 1856 he showed 'The Racket Player' (to be cast in bronze, cat. no. 1251), the same year that his brother, William Meredyth Thomas, showed 'The Cricket Player' (a sketch, cat. no. 1269)
Exhibited at Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations (London), 1851
1851
Exhibited at Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition (Cardiff), 1870
16 August 1870 - 1 October 1870
Institutional and Business Connections
Member of Institute of British Sculptors
1856 (Circa) - 1860 (Circa)
Personal and Professional Connections
Employed as studio assistant William Meredyth Thomas
1840 (Circa) - 1873
After leaving the Royal Academy Schools William worked for his brother John Evan until the latter's death
Sister/sibling of William Meredyth Thomas
The original text of the catalogue (p.14) says W. Merydith Thomas was the son of J. Evan Thomas. However, an unknown hand has crossed this out and written brother.
Studied under Francis Legatt Chantrey
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Post Office London Directory, 1851 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
Sources
A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, 1660-1851
2009
pp. 1249-52
Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition
1870
International exhibition 1862, official catalogue, fine art department
1862
List of Members: Institute of British Sculptors (or Sculptor's Institute)
2008 (Circa)
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
Mark L. Evans, ‘Thomas, John Evan (1810–1873)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27228, accessed 14 Jan 2010]
Post Office London Directory, 1851 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1851
p. 1365
Rules of the Institute of Sculptors
1861
p. iv (confirms he was not a member in 1861)
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
1852
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
1855
p.52
Citing this record
'John Evan Thomas FSA', 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=msib1_1202231164, accessed 31 Mar 2023]
