Charles Bell Birch ARA
Born 28 September 1832
Died 16 October 1893
Active: 1852 - 1893
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, medallist
Born in London. He was the son of Jonathan Birch (1783-1847) a translator of 'Faust' and on close terms with Frederick IV of Prussia. Charles studied at the Schools of Design, Somerset House, the Royal Academy Schools and the academy in Berlin. Birch then became a studio assistant to John Henry Foley. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1864, the same year he won a premium from the Art Union of London for 'Wood Nymph'. In 1880 Birch produced a bronze griffin on the Temple Bar memorial and was also elected ARA. Statues by Birch include those of Lord Beaconsfield (Disraeli) for Liverpool and of Queen Victoria for Aberdeen and Udaipur.
Wealth at death: £591 10s. 0d.
Probate date: 25 October 1893
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.
Locations
Address 21A Great College Street London | View on map
1880 (Circa) - 1889 (Circa)
Address The Studio, Chelsea Bridge Road London | View on map
1889 (Circa)
Address 3 Blomfontein Villas Ravenscourt Park London | View on map
1893
Living here at the time of his death.
Studio located at Fulham Studios Walham Green London | View on map
1893
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at The International Exhibition, London, 1862
'The Love-Test'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
p.53
Exhibited at International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures, Dublin, 1865
p. 110, no. 194.' The Love Nest' - plaster.
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1852 - 1893 (Presumed)
Exhibited 39 times, average 2-3 works per year.
Exhibited at Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures: the twelfth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1882
1882
Margarete (cat. no. 1555, £63); Ruth (cat. no. 1559, £73 10s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the fifteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1885
1885
'And Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, for whither thou goest, I will go; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."' - Ruth ch. i., v. 16 (cat. no. 1434, £52 10s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the nineteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1889
1889
Retaliation (cat. no. 1512, £105).
Institutional and Business Connections
Elected ARA Royal Academy of Arts
23 April 1880 - 16 October 1893
Died in 1893.
Member of Institute of British Sculptors
1861 (Circa)
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
22 December 1855
Start date is given in Popp and Valentine, 'Directory of Membership', (1996), p. 9. Birch was also awarded a First Silver Medal and book prize for 'Models from Life': see the Royal Academy 'Annual Report', (1861), p. 28.
Visitor at Royal Academy Schools
1882 (Presumed) - 1892 (Presumed)
Listed as a visitor to the School of Modelling from the Life. See Royal Academy 'Annual Report, 1881', (1882), p. 35.
Worked with Art Union of London
1867 (Circa)
To reproduce 'Wood Nymph' in parian ware
Personal and Professional Connections
Nominated by Henry Weekes
6 July 1872
Pupil of John Henry Foley
Seconded by William Calder Marshall
6 July 1872
Seconder of Wallis Rowland Ingram
16 April 1887
For RA; unsuccessful.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem, and Seal-Engravers, Mint Masters, &c., Ancient and Modern with References to their Works, B.C. 500 - A.D. 1900, Volume I, 1902 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a sculptor who died in 1894. Submitted designs for the proposed new coinage in 1893 but these were not adopted: see Forrer, vol. 1, (1902), p. 88. The coin designs are illustrated in Forrer, p. 50. Refereces given by Forrer include 'The Coins of the Realm', in 'Magazine of Art' (1895).
Listed under Sculptors Post Office London Directory, 1890 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1890
p.1997
Sources
Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the fifteenth, 1885 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1885
pp. 85-87.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Charles Bell Birch
Probate Date: 25 Oct 1893
Death Date: 16 Oct 1893
Death Place: Middlesex, England
Registry: London, England
International exhibition 1862, official catalogue, fine art department
1862
Liverpool autumn exhibition of modern pictures, 1882 Walker Art Gallery
1882
pp. 90-91.
Official Catalogue of Dublin International Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures 1865
1865
p. 110, no. 194.' The Love Nest' - plaster.
Post Office London Directory, 1890 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1890
p.1997
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1866-1906
1906
See entries for 1872, 1887.
Rules of the Institute of Sculptors
1861
p. iv
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.53
Citing this record
'Charles Bell Birch ARA', 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_1213802788, accessed 10 Jun 2023]
