Richard Louis Garbe RA
Other names: His legal name was Louis Richard Garbe but he was known as Richard Louis
Born 26 October 1876
Died 28 July 1957
Active: 1899 - 1957
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, ivory carver, teacher
Born in Dalston, London and christened Louis Richard, however he was known by the family and professionally as Richard, or Richard Louis Garbe. He was the second son of Gustave Garbe (1850-1919, born in Prussia), an ivory carver, and twin of Franz Paul Garbe (1876-1954). Richard was trained in his father's workshop but also studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. He later returned to teach there (1899-1929), also becoming Head of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art (1926-46).
Although Garbe practiced and taught modelling he was primarily a carver. His obituary noted that his primary affinities were with Chinese carvers in jade and crystal, Japanese 'netsuke' and Gothic craftsmen. He made a number of sculptures in ivory, including 'Primavera' which is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Garbe's best known large-scale work was the pair of groups for the east pavilion of the National Museum of Wales at Cardiff representing the medieval and modern periods. He retired to Hornchurch, Essex and died in Surrey.
This entry includes information supplied by Richard Garbe's great-nephew, Tony Neale.
Wealth at death: £4,104 5s. 4d.
Probate date: 1 January 1958
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.
Head of a Girl
1904 (Presumed)
Casket in ivory with brass mounts
Box with blue ground, ivory and silver mounting
Modelled Entrance Doors
Sealion
1929
An Elegy
1906 (Presumed)
Boy and Crab
1906 (Presumed)
Echo and Narcissus
1906 (Presumed)
Sérénité
1906 (Presumed)
Mother and Child
1915
Venus Victrix
1923
Lachesis - Fate
1923
President's Badge, Royal Society of British Sculptors
1922 (Circa) - 1929 (Presumed)
Sea lion
1935
The Phrygian Cap
1935
The Reverend Canon S A Alexander CNG CVO
1935
£5
Head
1939
Madonna of the Rose
1939
Calf
1939
Cat
1948
Cherub and Bird
1948
Girl
1948
Water Sprites
1951
Masqueraders
1951
Eros and Phoenix
1951
Locations
Address 57 Dalston Lane London NE | View on map
1898 (Circa) - 1906 (Circa)
Address Woodland Avenue Great Nelmes Hornchurch | View on map
1908 (Circa)
Address St. Mildred Cottage Wingletye Lane Hornchurch | View on map
1910 (Circa) - 1912 (Circa)
Address Nelmes End Wingletye Lane Essex | View on map
1915 (Circa) - 1938 (Circa)
Address Milton Way House Westcott near Dorking | View on map
1933 (Circa) - 1957 (Circa)
Address Raise View Grasmere | View on map
1941 - 1942
Address Ambleside | View on map
1942 - 1945
c/o Royal College of Art
Address given as Royal College of Art London | View on map
1932 (Circa) - 1940 (Circa)
Also using other addresses between these dates
Studio located at Studios, 4 North Villas Camden Square London NW | View on map
1906 (Circa) - 1908 (Circa)
Also using other addresses at this date
Studio located at Regent's Park Studios Park Village East London NW | View on map
1916 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Awarded Prize for the best work of sculpture exhibited in London
June 1930
A silver medal for his ivory group entitled 'Autumn', that was currently being exhibited at the Royal Academy, having been purchased by the Academy through the Chantrey Bequest.
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Sixth Exhibition, 1899
Multiple works
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Ninth Exhibition, 1910
'Undine'
Exhibited at The Eightieth Autumn Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), 1906-1907
'Sérénité'
Exhibited at Exhibition of Small Works by British Sculptors (Royal Society of British Sculptors), 1931
'President's Badge, Royal Society of British Sculptors'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1906
'Echo and Narcissus'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1908
'The Outcast'
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Twenty-Third Autumn Exhibition, 1905
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The One-Hundred-and-Ninth, 1935
'Sea lion'
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Fifty-Fourth Annual Exhibition, 1915
'Mother and Child'
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Sixty-Second Annual Exhibition, 1923
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventy-Fourth Annual Exhibition, 1935
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventy-Eighth Annual Exhibition, 1939
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Eighty-Seventh Annual Exhibition, 1948
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Ninetieth Annual Exhibition, 1951
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1898 - 1957
Exhibited 59 times (53 times up to 1951), about 173 works in all
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1899
1899
Portrait of a Child (cat. no. 1375, plaster bust, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the thirty-first (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1901
1901
L'Inconuue (cat. no. 1599, marble head, not for sale).
Exhibited at Festival of Britain, London: Ten Decades, a Review of British Taste, 1851-1951, 1951
1951
Garbe's carved ivory work entitled 'Autumn' was lent by the Tate Gallery.
Selection committee member of Chantrey Bequest (Chantrey Fund; Royal Academy of Arts), 1875-1948
1932
Served on the Fund's Selection Committee (Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1932', 1933, p. 23).
Selection committee member of The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The One Hundred and Sixty-Seventh (Summer Exhibition), 1935
9 April 1935 - 18 April 1935
Served on the Selection Committee, and was responsible for the arrangement of sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1935' (1936), p. 43.
Selection committee member of The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The One Hundredth and Sixty-Ninth (Summer Exhibition), 1937
6 April 1937 - 15 April 1937
Served on the Selection Committee, and was responsible for the arrangement of sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1937' (1938), pp. 36-37.
Selection committee member of The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The One Hundred and Eightieth (Summer Exhibition), 1948
6 April 1948 - 14 April 1948
Served on the Selection Committee, and was responsible for the arrangement of sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1948' (1949), p. 20.
Speaker at Ivory Carving (Art Workers Guild), 1911
Explained the technique of ivory carving.
Speaker at Comparative Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1925
Speaker at Sculpture, Carved and Modelled (Art Workers Guild), 1933
Speaker at Monuments Worthy and Unworthy (Art Workers Guild), 1933
Speaker at The Tools and Technique of the Greek Sculptors (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at Can an artist do what he likes, or are there Universal Principles of Art? (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at Buildings and Sculpture in the Lost City of Angkor (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at Pre-Raphaelite Sculptors (Art Workers Guild), 1937
Speaker at The International Exhibition of Paris (Art Workers Guild), 1937
Speaker at Comparative Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1938
Speaker at The Furniture of Tomorrow (Art Workers Guild), 1939
Speaker at The National Portrait Gallery and its Future (Art Workers Guild), 1925
Institutional and Business Connections
Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1928 - 1930
Asked to be reinstated to the society in 1928. Became fellow in 1929.
Associate of The Guild of Art Craftsmen
Commissioned by Royal Society of British Sculptors
1933
To design a Diploma certificate to be presented to Members on their election to the Society
Elected ARA Royal Academy of Arts
25 April 1929 - 23 April 1936
Elected RA in 1936.
Elected RA Royal Academy of Arts
23 April 1936 - 1 January 1952
Then became senior RA until his death in 1957. Garbe's Diploma work was a bronze sculpture entitled 'Grief'. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1936', (1937), p. 88.
Employed at Wedgwood (Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd.)
1938 (Circa)
Two figures 'Boy on a Shell' and 'Syren' were reproduced by Wedgwood: see Reilly and Savage, 'The Dictionary of Wedgwood' (1980), p. 163.
See three photographs of figures and a vase with cupid in the Wedgood Museum Digital Archive; the works are undated but are entitled 'Syren', 'Cupid on Shell' and 'Cupid Vase'; all were Queen's Ware [reference no.s QWF20-22].
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
December 1928 - 1957
Became honorary fellow in 1954; died in 1957.
Joined Junior Art Workers Guild
1911 (Presumed)
Listed as member in 1911 AWG annual report, p.6.
Master of Art Workers Guild
1938
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1909 - 1957
Note that in 1920, Garbe was removed from the list of members 'in conformity with Article 15 of the Articles Association'
Member of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1910 (Presumed) - 1946 (Presumed)
Craft member 1946.
Member of Art Workers Guild
6 February 1925 - 1957
Committee member 1925, master 1938.
Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
1931 - 1934
Member of council Royal Academy of Arts
1937 - 1938
Served as a Member of the Council from 1937 to 1938. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1936', (1937), p. 48
Member of council Royal Academy of Arts
1948 - 1949
Served as a Member of the Council from 1948 to 1949. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1947', (1948), p. 28.
Professor of sculpture at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1930 - 1946
He retired in 1946
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
30 July 1901 - July 1904
See Popp and Valentine, 'Directory of Membership', (1996), p. 47.
Teacher of modeling at Royal Academy Schools
See Reilly and Savage, 'The Dictionary of Wedgwood' (1980), p. 163. No dates are given.
Teacher of modeling at Central School of Arts and Crafts
September 1899 - June 1929
Listed in the school timetable as teacher of modelling from 1899 onwards.
From 1908 Garbe is listed as a teacher of modelling (including life) in the department of Drawing, Design and Modelling. He is also listed as teacher of modelling classes in the day school from 1908 onwards.
From 1914 Garbe taught architectural stone cutting in the department of Architecture and the Building Crafts, and ivory carving in the department of Cabinet Work and Furniture.
In 1915-1916 Garbe is listed as teacher of modelling (including life), stone carving and ivory carving in the department of Drawing, Painting, Design and Modelling.
From 1920 Garbe is listed as teacher of modelling, stone carving and ivory carving in the 'School of Painted and Sculptured Architectural Decoration, and Stained Glass'.
He is last listed in the 1928-1929 prospectus.
Teacher of modeling at Central School of Arts and Crafts
September 1935 - June 1936
Listed in this year as teacher of the mens evening classes in life modelling.
Visitor at Royal Academy Schools
1947 - 1948
Listed as a visitor to the Sculpture School from 1947 to 1948. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1947', (1948), p. 29.
Worked for Gustave Garbe
Richard trained in his father's workshop as an ivory turner and carver. After Gustave died in 1919, Richard and his brothers tried to keep the family business going but were unsuccessful.
Personal and Professional Connections
Collaborated with Harry (Henry) Wilson
Collaborated with Harry George Murphy
1929 - 1930
Richard Garbe worked with Harry G. Murphy to create the badge of office for the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Daughter/son/child of (Karl) Gustave Garbe
Nominated by William Hamo Thornycroft
11 May 1908
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Nominated by George James Frampton
4 May 1912
For RA.
Nominated by William Hamo Thornycroft
4 May 1912
For RA.
Nominated by William Goscombe John
4 May 1912 - 15 March 1927
Two nominations for RA, in 1912 and 1927.
Nominated by Henry Alfred Pegram
4 May 1912 - 27 April 1927
Two nominations for RA, in 1912 and 1927.
Nominated by Frederick William Pomeroy
4 May 1912 - 24 February 1920
Two nominations for RA, in 1912 and 1920.
Nominated by Francis Bernard Dicksee
24 February 1920
For RA.
Nominated by Frank Short
1 March 1920
For RA.
Nominated by Henry Scott Tuke
1 March 1920
For RA.
Nominated by (Edward) Alfred Briscoe Drury
15 March 1927
For RA.
Nominator of (Hubert) Donald MacGeogh Gilbert
1931 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Ferdinand Victor Blundstone
January 1937
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of (Joseph) Hermon Cawthra
January 1937
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominator of William James Bloye
1 March 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominator of Herbert William Palliser
1939 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Herbert William Palliser
25 April 1940
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominator of Arnold Machin
25 March 1946
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominator of Charles Walter Edward Lewis
1949
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Portrayed in portrait by Henry Harris Brown
1939 (Presumed)
A painting, which was given to the Art Workers' Guild to add to the collection of Past Master portraits [Fifty-sixth annual report of the committee of the Art Workers' Guild, 1939, p.9]
Seconded by George James Frampton
11 May 1908
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Taught Cecil Walter Thomas
Thomas studied under Garbe: see Forrer, vol. 6, (1916), p. 69, no dates are given.
Taught (Rose) Gwynneth Cobden Holt
Presume at the Royal College of Art
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Ivory & Hard-wood worker/ Bone' also his brothers Walter (born c.1875) and Paul (born c.1877), their father Gustav[e] 'Ivory Tortishell (sic) Worker, Bone'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Artist (Sculptor)' working on own account
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
1901 (Circa)
'Sculptor' also father, Gustav[e] Garbe 'Fancy Wood Turner' employer, Paul Garbe (aged 24) 'Fancy Wood Turner', and Louis 'Die Sinker'
Sources
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1901-1912
1911, p.6.
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1913-1933
1925, p.4, p.10; 1933, p.9, p.13.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Eleventh Exhibition.
1916
p.264.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Ninth Exhibition.
1910
p.65, p.80, p.86, p.146.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Sixth Exhibition.
1899
p.36, p.74, p.84, p.87.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth, 1899 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1899
pp. 48-52.
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1906
1906
Cat. No. 452, 862, pp. 42, 72, 85
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1908
1908
Cat. Nos. 373, 377, 480, pp. 35, 43, 79
Catalogue of the Twenty-Third Autumn Exhibition, 1905
1905
Cat. No. 292, pp. 48, 54
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG12; Piece: 193; Folio 25; Page 41; GSU roll: 6095303.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
Class: RG13; Piece: 222; Folio: 132; Page: 4.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN9936 RG78PN523 RD191 SD4 ED3 SN301
Central School of Arts and Crafts, Prospectus and Time-Table. Fourth Session Commencing 18 September 1899
18 September 1899
p. 12.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Louis Richard Garbe
Probate Date: 1 Jan 1958
Death Date: 28 Jul 1957
Death Place: Surrey, England
Registry: London, England
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus & Time-Table for the Session Commencing 21 September 1908
21 September 1908
p. 3.
London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Time-Table of Session beginning 27 September 1920
27 September 1920
Unpaged timetable.
London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Time-Table of the Session 1928-1929
24 September 1928
Unpaged timetable.
Prospectus of the Royal College of Art, 1930-1931 Royal College of Art
1930
Unpaged list of staff.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1906-1927
1927
p.46.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1927-1938
1938
p.21, p.94, p.96, p.247.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, c.1939-c.1961
1961 (Circa)
p.118, p.182.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
11 May 1908.
The Dictionary of Wedgwood
1980
p. 163.
The fifty-fifth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1939
1939
p.12.
The fifty-first annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1935
1935
p.34.
The fifty-fourth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1938
1938
pp.15-16.
The fifty-sixth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1940
1940
p.11.
The fifty-third annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1937
1937
p.13, pp.15-17.
The Royal College of Art: Its Influences on Education, Art and Design 1900-1950, 1991 Royal College of Art
August 1991
p. 589.
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Monday, Jul 29, 1957; pg. 10; Issue 53905; col D
Mr. Richard Garbe
Category: Obituaries
The Wedgwood Museum Digital Archive
See three photographs of figures and a vase with cupid in the database; the works are undated [reference no.s QWF20-22].
Citing this record
'Richard Louis Garbe 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_1210166472, accessed 10 Jun 2023]
