Gustav Natorp
Born 20 June 1836
Died 26 August 1908
Active: 1884 - 1898
Country of birth: Germany
Country of death: England
Sculptor, painter, art metal worker, medallist, businessman
Born in Hamburg, Germany. Natorp was the son of Julia Schlesinger and his subsequent wealth came from his association with her brother Ernest Leopold Benzon (né Schlesinger, 1819–73). It is possible he was related to a Dr Gustav Natorp (1824-1891) managing director of the association for the mining interests in Dortmund but this connection has not been established.
In 1854 Natorp emigrated to the United States, where he made his fortune in the family business of Naylor and Co., Boston and became a naturalized citizen on 31 March 1876. However, from 1881 until his death he was resident in Britain (or at least at the time each of the decennial Census Returns was taken) and in 1900 was listed in 'The County Gentleman: Sporting Gazette and Agricultural Journal' (see references below) as the tenant of a grouse moor at Delvine, Caputh, Perth, Scotland.
Natorp came to sculpture and painting late in life, studying first with Alphonse Legros. In 1882 he went to seek Rodin's 'valuable advice' with 'Pen' Browning and George Washington Kinloch, the three later formed part of a circle of disciples surrounding the French sculptor. (See Catherine Lampert, 'Rodin', London, 2006, p.35, and various references in Claudine Mitchell, Editor, 'Rodin: the Zola of Sculpture', Aldershot, 2004). Natorp also became an important collector of Rodin's work, the sculptures he owned included: a cast of the mask of 'A Man with a Broken Nose' acquired c.1882; a 'Minotaure' in plaster; 'Fugit Amour' (now in the Musée d'Orsay, Paris); and a small marble 'Recumbent Girl'. In 1886 Natorp showed 'Herkules' (cat. no. 1726, statuette after Byron) at Jubiläums-Ausstellung der Königlichen Akademie der Künste Berlin. Two years later he exhibited a medallion portrait of his friend, the poet Robert Browning (father of 'Pen' Browning) at the Royal Academy. It was shown at the Paris Salon in 1889 and was widely praised, including by the poet who regarded it as the best likeness that had been made to date. (see Glasgow Herald, 1890). Natorp died at Corsham Court, Wiltshire.
This record includes information from Natorp's application for a US passport made on 6 June 1876 (Ancestry.com - U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925). The details of the work he showed in Berlin were submitted by Désirée de Chaire and can be found in Jubiläums-Ausstellung der Kgl. Akademie der Künste. Illustrierter Katalog (Berlin: Berliner Verlags-Comtoir, 1886), p. 271.
Wealth at death: £47,654 17s. 10d.
Probate date: 12 November 1908
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 110 Palace Gardens Terrace London | View on map
1881 (Circa) - 1884 (Circa)
Address 70 Ennismore Gardens London SW | View on map
1888 (Circa) - 1908
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1891
'Byblis'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1896
'Byblis'
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Twelfth Autumn Exhibition, 1894
'Bitter Sweet'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1884 - 1989
Exhibited 11 times, one work each year (statuettes, reliefs, bust, a decorative panel, a silver cup, and medallions, known materials include bronze, marble, ivory and silver)
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the fifteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1885
1885
Hercules (cat. no. 1453, bronze, £150).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fourth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1894
1894
Knuckle Bones (cat. no. 1300, bronze statuette, £600); Regatta Cup (cat. no. 1328, sketch, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fifth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1895
1895
Byblis (cat. no. 1256, bronze statuette, £40); Bitter-Sweet (cat. no. 1323, marble medallion, £120).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-sixth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1896
1896
Atalanta (cat. no. 1286, bronze statue, illustrated on p. 111, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-seventh (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1897
1897
Miss Adelaide Burton (cat. no. 1278, marble bust, not for sale); Atlanta (cat. no. 1286, bronze statue, illustrated on p. 111, not for sale).
Personal and Professional Connections
Friends with Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning
Natorp, 'Pen' Browning and George Washington Kinloch availed themselves of Rodin's 'valuable advice' in 1882-83. They then became part of a circle of disciples surrounding the French sculptor. (see Lampert, 'Rodin', London, 2006, p.35)
Friends with George Washington Andrew Kinloch
Natorp, 'Pen' Browning and George Washington Kinloch were part of a circle of disciples surrounding Auguste Rodin in 1882-83, they also availed themselves of the French sculptor's 'valuable advice'. (see Lampert, 'Rodin', London, 2006, p.35)
Student of Auguste Rodin
In 1882 Natorp went to seek Rodin's 'valuable advice' with 'Pen' Browning and George Washington Kinloch. (See Catherine Lampert, 'Rodin', London, 2006, p.35, and various references in Claudine Mitchell, Editor, 'Rodin: the Zola of Sculpture', Aldershot, 2004). Natorp collected Rodin's sculpture and owned at least four important works.
Student of Alphonse Legros
Based on information in Lampert, 'Rodin', London, 2006, p. 35.
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'None' but employed four servants
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Own means'
Sources
19th Century British Library Newspapers
OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENCE .
Glasgow Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), Saturday, February 15, 1890; Issue 40 (Gale Document Number: BC3203754563)
19th Century UK Periodicals
CHIEF GROUSE MOORS IN SCOTLAND.
The County Gentleman: Sporting Gazette and Agricultural Journal (London, England), Saturday, August 18, 1900; pg. vii; Issue 1997. New Readerships.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fourth, 1894 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1894
pp. 49-52.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-seventh, 1897 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1897
pp. 44-47.
Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the fifteenth, 1885 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1885
pp. 85-87.
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1891
1891
Cat. No. 586, pp. 58, 111
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1896
1896
Cat. Nos. 545, 553, pp. 49, 50, 79
Catalogue of the Twelfth Autumn Exhibition, 1894
1894
Cat. Nos. 615, 621, pp. 53, 54, 64
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11; Piece: 25; Folio: 8; Page: 9; GSU roll: 1341006
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG12; Piece: 84; Folio 34; Page 61; GSU roll: 6095194
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 83 folio 151 page 33
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index, 1837-1915
2006
1908; Registered in Chippenham, Wiltshire, vol. 5a; p. 32
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Gustav Natorp
Probate Date: 12 Nov 1908
Death Date: 26 Aug 1908
Death Place: Middlesex, England
Registry: London
Rodin
2006
multiple references, for the connection with 'Pen' Browning and Kinloch, plus ownership of works by Rodin see p. 35 and fn. 31, letters from Robert Browning to Rodin dated 16 April and 2 August 1882, and 4 May 1883, archives of the Musée Rodin, Paris.
Citing this record
'Gustav Natorp', 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=msib5_1206736250, accessed 29 May 2023]
