William Mynorydd Davis
Other names: Davies
Born 26 January 1826
Died 22 September 1901
Active: 1857 - 1884
Country of birth and death: Wales
Sculptor, marble carver
Born at Glebeland, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire. The family surname is spelt both 'Davis' and 'Davies' across different documentary sources making accurate identification difficult. William also used the name Mynorydd when exhibiting in Wales adding to the naming variations.
However, it seems William was the son of Moses Davis or Davies (c.1799-1866). Moses was a master plasterer who is said to have travelled in England and Wales after completing his apprenticeship. By 1841 he was based in Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil and in 1851 was employing one man and one apprentice in 1851. (See Census Returns of 1851 RG number: HO107 Piece: 2458 Folio: 297 Page: 8)
At the age of sixteen William entered the studio of William Behnes in London. Davis also studied music and literature. He was a talented singer and published a history of Welsh musicians in London (1895). Although deeply committed to Welsh culture and exhibiting in Wales, William based his professional career in London. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy and received many commissions for busts and statues. William's subjects included Welsh preachers such as Thomas Charles of Bala.
William's brother seems to have been the sculptor, David Davis (or Davies). This connection is based on the Census Returns of 1841 and 1861 which places them both at the same addresses. An unpublished family history states David assisted William with a number of casts whilst in his teens and then worked for his brother on St. James's Palace and at Kew between c.1858-65. David appears to have trained as a plasterer with his father and so would have been an able assistant to William (see Census Returns of 1851). An unpublished family history states that the two brothers travelled in Italy in 1891.
William died in London and was buried in West Hampstead cemetery.
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.
Henry Richard, Esq., MP
1880 (Presumed)
Gohebydd
1880 (Presumed)
Clymene, from Keat's Hyperion
1884 (Presumed)
Miss Mary Davies
1884 (Presumed)
Mr Arthur Davies
1884 (Presumed)
John Roberts, Esq., MP
1884 (Presumed)
Prof. Ramsay, FRS, FRGS
1884 (Presumed)
The Late Sir Hugh Owen
1884 (Presumed)
Locations
Address 13 Osnaburgh Street London England | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Presumably while working for William Behnes as this is his address
Address 14 Carburton Street London England | View on map
1853 (Circa)
Address 4 Crown Street Windsor England | View on map
1855 (Circa)
Address 17 William Street Hampstead Road London England | View on map
1858 (Circa)
Address 208 Euston Road London England | View on map
1859 (Circa) - 1884 (Circa)
Address 5 Gordon Square London England | View on map
1887 (Circa) - 1888 (Circa)
Address 41 Blenheim Crescent Notting Hill London England | View on map
1901 (Circa)
His neighbors at 41A were: Charles Thomas Smith (aged 45) and his son, Charles E. Smith (aged 21) both stone masons, and Daisy M. Smith (aged 19) 'Artist's Model' all born in Ware, Hertfordshire. Living at number 49 were Laura M. Fulcher (aged 33 born Burbage, Wiltshire) and Louis D. Deirel or Derivel (aged 37 born Paris, France), boarder, both 'Artist Sculp'
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru National Museum of Wales Exhibition of Works by Certain Modern Artists of Welsh Birth or Extraction, 1913
Multiple works
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Royal Institution, First Autumn Exhibition, 1883
Multiple works
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1878
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
p.56
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1851 - 1888
Exhibited 24 times, 40 works in all (chiefly portrait busts but also some ideal busts and figure groups)
Exhibited at Art Exhibition opened at the Drill Hall, Merthyr Tydfil, 1880
27 May 1880 - 1880
Exhibited at Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures: the thirteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1883
1883
The Late Sir Hugh Owen (cat. no. 1601, not for sale); John Roberts, Esq., MP (cat. no. 1610, marble, not for sale).
Exhibited at The Fine Art Exhibition to Aid the Establishing of the Royal Cambrian Academy, 1884
1884
Institutional and Business Connections
Traded as William Davies
1875
Is is probable that the William Davies business in Caerphilly was that of sculptor William Davies a.k.a. Mynorydd
Personal and Professional Connections
Sister/sibling of David Davis
Based on Census Returns of 1861 which places them both at 208 Euston Road. The surnames of the two brothers are spelt differently but sources (for example, Graves, the census returns, Royal Academy exhibition catalogues) give both Davis and Davies interchangeably
Studio assistant to William Behnes
1842 (Circa)
Either assistant or pupil
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
'Marble Carver' also his brother David (born c.1837 in Merthyr Tydfil) a 'Marble Carver'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculpturer' working on own account
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
'Sculptor'
Sources
A Catalogue of the Fine Art Exhibition to aid the Establishing of the Royal Cambrian Academy
1884
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1878
1878
Cat. No. 1045, pp. 87, 94
Catalogue of the First Autumn Exhibition, 1883
1883
Cat. Nos. 870, 874, pp. 62, 74
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841
2010
HO107 piece 1415 folio 8/31 page 7 this may be the correct William Davies, surname given as Davis
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
2005
RG09 piece 111 folio 25 page 26 (surname given as Davis)
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
RG10 piece 220 folio 17 page 28 (surname given as Davies)
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11 piece 197 folio 15 page 23 (surname given as Davis)
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 29 folio 15 page 21 (surname given as Davies)
Joseph Edwards, Merthyr Sculptor
1895
Davies was author of this text
Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures, 1883 Walker Art Gallery
1883
p. 93.
Official Catalogue, Art Exhibition opened at the Drill Hall, Merthyr Tydfil
1880
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
1855
p.56
The Royal Academy of Arts: a complete dictionary of contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904. Vol. 2: Carroll to Dyer
1905
pp. 268-69 (surname given as Davis)
Citing this record
'William Mynorydd Davis', 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_1202310669, accessed 27 Sep 2023]
