Francis Derwent Wood RA
Born 15 October 1871
Died 19 February 1926
Active: 1894 - 1925
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, caricaturist, painter in oils and watercolour, draughtsman
Born in Keswick, Cumbria, son of English mother and an American father who was Alpheus Wood (born c.1827 in the USA), a pencil manufacturer. Francis studied Art in Germany pre-1889.
For a discussion of Francis Derwent Wood and the facial injuries unit, see Sarah Crellin, 'Hollow Men: Francis Derwent Wood's masks and memorials, 1915-1925.' Sculpture Journal, vol 6, 2001, pp. 75-88
Wealth at death: £10,155 1s. 9d.
Probate date: 7 May 1926
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.
Lord Overtoun
1901
Dante in Exile
1901
Kiss of Time
1901
Two small sketches of figures for the New Art Galleries, Glasgow
1901
Two small sketches of figures for the New Art Galleries, Glasgow
1901
My Son
1906 (Circa)
Fiametta
1906 (Circa)
Alexander Jamieson, Esq.
1906 (Circa)
William Wilson, Esq. of Castlehill, Ayr
1921
Mrs Luke Hansard
1921
William Dally, Esq., Barrister-at-law
1921
Sketch Design for a War Memorial Tablet
1921
Sir Horace Plunkett
1924 (Presumed)
Locations
Address Villa Gabrill 9 Rue des Tourneaux Paris | View on map
1897 (Circa) - 1899
Address 50 Glebe Place Chelsea London | View on map
1925 (Circa)
Studio located at Radnor Studios Radnor Street London SW | View on map
1894 (Presumed)
Studio located at 13A Bloomfield Studios Pimlico Road London | View on map
1898 (Presumed) - 1899 (Presumed)
Studio located at Fontanta Studios 27 Glebe Place London SW | View on map
1900 (Circa) - 1925 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Second Exhibition of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1899
Multiple works
Exhibited at Exhibition of International Art (International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, London), 1898
'Caterina'
Exhibited at Third Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1901
Multiple works
Exhibited at Fourth Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1904
'Cyril Scott, Esq.'
Exhibited at Exhibition of Fair Women (International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, London), 1908
Multiple works
Exhibited at Ninth Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1909
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Spring Exhibition of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1913
'Leda'
Exhibited at The Spring Exhibition of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (Sixteenth London Exhibition), 1914
'Commendatore Canziani'
Exhibited at The Spring Exhibition of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (Twenty-fifth London Exhibition), 1919
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Annual Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (Twenty-seventh London Exhibition), 1921
'Torso'
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Eleventh Exhibition, 1916
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1897
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1910
'Bacchante'
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1906
'Alexander Jamieson, Esq.'
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1921
Multiple works
Exhibited at Memorial Exhibition of works by the Late Francis Derwent Wood, RA (Leicester Galleries), 1926
posthumous
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fifth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1895
1895
Circe (cat. no. 1330, relief, illustrated on p. 13, not for sale).
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1895 - 1925
Exhibited 28 times, about 85 works in all (plus 3 shown posthumously in 1926)
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1899
1899
La Paimpolaise (cat. no. 1360, bust in carved wood and wrought tin, not for sale); Miss Constance Maw (cat. no. 1408, 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
Mother and Child (cat. no. 1603, carved group in wood, £5 5s.); Dante in Exile (cat. no. 1616, plaster sketch model, £15 15s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures & sculpture: the thirty-third (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1903
1903
Alexander Jamieson, Esq. (cat. no. 1402, bronze bust, not for sale); Lady Mary Sackville (cat. no. 1420, plaster bust, not for sale).
Exhibited at The Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition, 1826-
1905 - 1939
Exhibited at the annual exhibition 6 times: 1905 (3 works), 1906 (3 works), 1913 (1 work), 1924 (4 works), 1925 (3 works) and 1939 (1 work)
Exhibited at International Exhibition, Dublin, 1907
1907
British Sculpture, Gallery II: 'Female Torso' (plaster), p. 24 (175), lent by the sculptor; 'Sacred Love' (plaster), p. 25 (177), lent by the sculptor; 'Fiammetta' (bust in copper), p. 27 (219), lent by the sculptor; 'Echo' (bronze statuette), p. 28 (220), lent by the sculptor.
Exhibited at Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition, 1924
1924
Exhibited at Works by the Late Sir H. Thornycroft, RA, and F. Derwent Wood, RA (Royal Academy of Arts), 1927
January 1927 - February 1927
Works were exhibited posthumously.
Exhibition committee member for The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The One Hundred and Fifty-Second (Summer Exhibition), 1920
7 April 1920 - 10 April 1920
Responsible for the arrangement of sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1920' (1920), p. 26.
Selection committee member of Chantrey Bequest (Chantrey Fund; Royal Academy of Arts), 1875-1948
1918 - 1921
Served on the selection committee for sculpture in 1918, 1920 and 1921 (Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1918', 1919, p. 21).
Taught The Glasgow School of Art: Modelling Classes
1898
Took part in Plaster Moulding and Casting (Art Workers Guild), 1905
Gave practical demonstration.
Institutional and Business Connections
Assistant teacher at Slade School of Fine Art
According to Obituary of J. Harvard Thomas in 'The Morning Post', May 1924
Assistant teacher of modeling at Royal Academy Schools
1890 - 1892
In her PhD thesis 'The Royal College of Art' (1991), H. Cunliffe-Charlesworth notes that Wood assisted A. Legros at the Royal Academy Schools between these dates. See vol. 3, appendix C, p. 588. No source is given.
Committee member of Royal Academy Schools
1920 (Presumed) - 1921
Served on the Selection Committee (one of the 'six elected members'), the Hanging Committee, and the Public Policy Committee, in 1920. Served on the Selection Committee (junior half of the Council) and on the Hanging Committee in 1921. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1919', (1920), p. 45.
Committee member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1921 - 1922
Elected to serve on the Exhibitions Committee.
Donor to Art Workers Guild
1905
Gave a bust he had made of C. H. Townsend
Elected ARA Royal Academy of Arts
13 January 1910 - 23 April 1920
Elected RA in 1920.
Elected RA Royal Academy of Arts
23 April 1920 - 19 February 1926
Died in 1926.
Member of Chelsea Arts Club
Joined early in the Club's existence. After his death members of the Club obtained permission to erect a bronze statue by Wood as a memorial. 'Atalanta' (1923) is sited on Chelsea Embankment.
Member of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1893 - 1899
Elected in 1893.
Member of Art Workers Guild
May 1901 - 1909
Committee member 1905, resigned 1909.
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1904 - 1922
Had been council member but asked in 1909 that his name should not be forwarded for re-election [4 January 1909, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1]. Died in 1922.
Member of Royal Fine Art Commission
1925 - 1926
Member of committee at The Royal Mint
1926
Served on the advisory committee. 'Showed a keen interest in the improvement of the national coinage' [1926 Leicester Galleries catalogue, p.7]
Member of council The British School at Rome
1916
Member of council Royal Academy of Arts
1921 - 1922
Served as a Member of the Council from 1921 to 1922. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1920', (1921), p. 30.
Nominee of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1893
Membership proposed by George Frampton and seconded by Walter Crane.
Professor of modeling at The Glasgow School of Art
1898 - 1900
Visiting Director for Modelling
Professor of sculpture at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1918 - 1924
See a list of 'Previous Holders of the Post of Professor' in the School Prospectus (1926-1927), unpaged.
Student at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1889 (Circa)
Student at Royal Academy Schools
1895 (Circa)
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
30 January 1894 - January 1897
These dates are given in Popp and Valentine, 'Royal Academy of Arts Directory of Membership', (1996), pp. 130-131.
In her PhD thesis 'The Royal College of Art' (1991), H. Cunliffe-Charlesworth notes that between 1890 to 1892 Wood 'assisted Legros at the Royal Academy Schools where he won a gold medal and travelling scholarship in 1895'. See vol. 3, appendix C, p. 588. No source is given.
In 1894, Wood won a first prize of £30 for a model of a design. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1894', (1895), p. 28. In 1894 he was awarded gold medal and travelling studentship of £200 for a composition in sculpture, a first prize of £50 and silver medal for a set of three models of a figure from the life, and a silver medal for a design for a medal. See 'Annual Report, 1895', (1896), pp. 28-29.
Visitor at Royal Academy Schools
1912 - 1919
Listed as a visitor to the School of Sculpture in 1912, 1914, and from 1919. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1911', (1912), p. 38.
Personal and Professional Connections
Apprenticed Maurice Lambert
1918 - 1923
Whilst working for Wood, Lambert assisted in making the Machine Gun Corps memorial.
Assistant to Alphonse Legros
1891
Assistant to Thomas Brock
1894 - 1895
See Stocker (2004)
Assistant was Leonard Jennings
Dates unknown but probably the early 1900s before Jennings went to India in 1907
Assistant was Frederick John Wilcoxson
1911 (Circa)
Friends with Henry Poole
Wood and Poole would go on sketching tours with E.A.Rickards, the architect, and Arnold Bennett [1927 Leicester Galleries catalogue].
Made portrait of John Alfred Lemon
Derwent Wood made a portrait in bas-relief of John Lemon's head and shoulders (information supplied by Christopher Hayes)
Nominated by George James Frampton
8 January 1900
For RA.
Nominator of Leonard Jennings
7 February 1907
For membership of Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Nominator of Samuel William Ward Willis
4 January 1909
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [4 January 1909, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Nominator of Robert Lindsey Clark
23 May 1910
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [23 May 1910, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Nominator of John Tweed
1912
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of William Reid Dick
1914
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of Frank Gatter
1914 (Circa)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of William Reid Dick
1915 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Edmund Thomas Wyatt Ware
1916 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Charles Sargeant Jagger
31 March 1919
For RA.
Nominator of Gilbert Ledward
31 March 1919
For RA.
Nominator of Alfred Turner
22 April 1920
For RA.
Nominator of Edwin Whitney-Smith
22 April 1920
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of Frederick John Wilcoxson
1921 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Ferdinand Victor Blundstone
11 April 1922
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of (Joseph) Hermon Cawthra
April 1922
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of William McMillan
21 March 1922
For RA.
Nominator of Courtenay Edward Maxwell Pollock
23 February 1922 - 22 April 1922
For RA; unsuccessful. For unspecified reason, Wood withdrew his February nomination on April 22.
Nominator of Florence Ada Kendrick
1922
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Christine Gregory
1922
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Thomas Mewburn Crook
February 1925
For RA; unsuccessful.
Seconded by John William Waterhouse
8 January 1900
For RA.
Seconder of Frederick James Halnon
5 February 1906
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Seconder of George Edward Wade
15 January 1906
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors. Discussion of application postponed until next meeting by George Frampton [15 January 1906, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I]. Application approved [5 February 1906, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I].
Seconder of Thomas Mewburn Crook
11 March 1907
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Seconder of Herbert Hampton
6 July 1908
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [6 July 1908, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Seconder of James Alexander Stevenson
7 December 1908
For membership of Royal Society of British Sculptors [7 December 1908, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Seconder of Charles Bennet Lawes-Wittewronge
18 May 1911
To represent the Royal Scoiety of British Sculptors on the council for the re-constitution of the British School at Rome [18 May 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Seconder of Courtenay Edward Maxwell Pollock
21 April 1913
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [21 April 1913, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Studied under Edouard Lanteri
Teacher to Henry Spencer Moore
1921 - 1924
According to a questionnaire completed by Henry Moore in the 1940s (Tate Archive)
Worked with William Bateman Fagan
At the facial injuries unit during the First World War according to The Times, Monday, Apr 19, 1948; pg. 6; Issue 51049; col D Mr. W. B. Fagan Category: Obituaries
Worked with Frederick John Wilcoxson
At the facial injuries unit during the First World War according to Kineton Parkes (1921), p. 88
Worked with Thomas Humphrey Paget
At the facial injuries unit during the First World War according to Kineton Parkes (1921), p. 88
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Post Office London Directory, 1900 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1900
p.2371
Sources
A Catalogue of the Pictures, Drawings, Prints and Sculptures at the Fourth Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers 1904
1904
pp.16-17, pp.36-37.
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Seventeenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1921
November 1921
p. 47
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Twelfth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1906
September 1906
p. 50
Annual Report from the Council of The Royal Academy to the General Assembly of Academicians for the Year 1920, 1921 Royal Academy Annual Reports
1921
pp. 20, 26, 30, 32, 77
Annual Report of The Glasgow School of Art 1898
January 1898
p. 1
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1901-1912
1901, p.8, p.28; 1905, p.4, p.6; 1908, p.28 and all lists of members' addresses 1901-1908.
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1913-1933
1926, p.11.
Artists and Bohemians: 100 Years with the Chelsea Arts Club
1992
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: List of Members, 1894
1894
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: List of Members, 1897
1897
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. List of Members, 1898
1898
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. List of Members, 1899
1899
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Eleventh Exhibition.
1916
p.243.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fifth, 1895 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1895
pp. 47-50.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth, 1899 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1899
pp. 48-52.
British Sculpture and Sculptors of To-day
1901
pp. 153-55
Catalogue of the Memorial Exhibition of Sculpture by the Late Henry Poole RA
1930
p.9.
Catalogue of the Memorial Exhibition of works by the Late Francis Derwent Wood, R.A.
1926
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, 1913, held at the Grosvenor Gallery, 51a New Bond Street., W.
1913
p.29.
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, 1914, held at the Grosvenor Gallery, 51a New Bond Street., W. (Sixteenth London Exhibition)
1914
p.46, p.50, p.52, p.54.
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1897
1897
Cat. No. 831, pp. 78, 112
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1910
1910
Cat. No. 663, p. 53
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
Class: RG10; Piece: 5236; Folio: 13; Page: 5; GSU roll: 847444
Ernest Brown & Phillips Ltd., The Leicester Galleries. An index of 1422 catalogues of exhibitions of European Modern Art and 20th Century British Art, held between 1902 and 1977
http://www.ernestbrownandphillips.ltd.uk (accessed 17 July 2019)
Four voting papers for election of members and of committee at annual meeting, 19th December 1893
1893
International Exhibition Glasgow, 1901,
Official Catalogue of the Fine Art Section
1901
International Exhibition, Dublin 1907, Fine Art Catalogue
1907
British Sculpture, Gallery II
p. 24, no. 175:' Female Torso'. Plaster.
Lent by the Sculptor.
p. 25, no. 177:'Sacred Love'. Plaster.
Lent by the Sculptor.
p. 27. no. 219:'Faimmetta'. Bust in Copper.
Lent by the Sculptor.
p. 28, no. 220:'Echo'. Bronze Statuette.
lent by the Sculptor.
International Society press cuttings, from spring 1921
1921 (Circa)
'Art and Artists', The Observer, 08/05/21.
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
Sarah Crellin, ‘Wood, Francis Derwent (1871–1926)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36999, accessed 17 April 2009]
Francis Derwent Wood (1871–1926): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36999
Post Office London Directory, 1900 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1900
p.2371
Prospectus of the Royal College of Art, 1926-1927 Royal College of Art
1926
Unpaged list of former staff.
Public Sculpture of Glasgow Public Sculpture of Britain Volume Five
2002
p. 501
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1866-1906
1906
See entries for 1900.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1906-1927
1927
p.39, p.87, pp.107-108, pp.177-178, p.201, p.204, p.206.
Royal Academy of Arts. Directory of Membership from the Foundation in 1768 to 1995 including Honorary Members, 1996
1996
pp. 130-131.
Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, Catalogue of the Ninety-Fifth Exhibition, 1924
1924
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
5 February 1906; 7 February 1907; 11 March 1907; 6 July 1908; 7 December 1908; 4 January 1909; 23 May 1910; 18 May 1911; 21 April 1913.
The Royal College of Art: Its Influences on Education, Art and Design 1900-1950, 1991 Royal College of Art
August 1991
p. 588.
Citing this record
'Francis Derwent Wood RA', 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=msib2_1203102896, accessed 05 Jun 2023]
