Domenico Antonio Tonelli III
Born 8 December 1865
Active: 1881 - 1953
Country of birth: England
Country of death: Australia
Sculptor, stonemason, carver, architectural modeller and caster, medallist
Born in Croydon. He was the grandson of Domenico Antonio I (born c.1806 in Lucca) and the son of Domenico Antonio II (born c.1834 in Haverfordwest) who ran a successful modelling and plaster casting business between c.1860-c.1900. Domenico Antonio III's mother, Ellen (born c.1841 in Hartest, Suffolk, possibly Ellen Foreman, died in 1921) joined the family business as a plaster modeller. His aunt, Elizabeth Tonelli also worked as an assistant modeller. A brother, James (born c.1870) also worked in the family business c.1901.
Domenico Antonio III was a National Scholar at the National Art Training School (Royal College of Art) in 1885-6. He worked as an assistant to Alfred Gilbert for an unknown period sometime after completing his studies and before 1891. He appears to have emigrated to Australia in 1953, aged 87. It is assumed he died there.
The information about Tonelli's studies and employment by Alfred Gilbert is taken from 'A List of National Scholars (Art) from February 1885 to July 1891', 1892 [C.6721] Thirty-ninth report of the Department of Science and Art of the Committee of Council on Education, with appendices, Appendix B, p. 324.
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 George Street Croydon London England | View on map
1881 (Circa)
In the neighboring house were his grandmother and aunt, Elizabeth (born c.1837 in Falmouth, Devon) described as an 'Assistant to Modeller'
Address Wellesley Court Road Croydon London England | View on map
1889 (Circa) - 1890 (Circa)
Address 10 Chatfield Road Croydon London England | View on map
1894 (Circa) - 1901 (Circa)
Address 9 Cambridge Avenue Kilburn London NW England | View on map
1911 (Circa) - 1920 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Thirteenth Autumn Exhibition, 1895
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1889 - 1920
Exhibited 8 times, 8 works in all (busts, statuettes and medallions)
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-seventh (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1897
1897
A Tale of Love (cat. no. 1333, statue, illustrated on p. 115, not for sale).
Exhibited at The Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition, 1826-
1917
Exhibited at the annual exhibition 1 time: 1917 (1 work)
Personal and Professional Connections
Brother/sibling of James Tonelli
Daughter/son/child of Domenico Antonio Tonelli II
Granddaughter/grandson/grandchild of Domenico Antonio Tonelli I
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Carver & Mason' living with his father who is a 'Plaster Modeller [employing] 2 Men 1 Woman', his mother Ellen who is a 'Plaster Modeller', and Charles Foreman, boarder, 'Modeller's Labourer'. In the neighboring house are his aunt, Elizabeth (born c.1837 in Falmouth, Cornwall) 'Assistant to Modeller'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor' worker
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Artist & Sculptor' working on own account
Sources
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-seventh, 1897 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1897
pp. 44-47.
Catalogue of the Thirteenth Autumn Exhibition, 1895
1895
Cat. No. 625, pp. 53, 67
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
RG10 piece 843 folio 54 page 29
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
Class: RG11; Piece: 813; Folio: 59; Page: 16; GSU roll: 1341192
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
Class: RG13; Piece: 642; Folio: 63; Page: 3
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN6990 RG78PN346A RD129 SD1 ED10 SN82
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
First name(s) ELLEN
Last name TONELLI
Gender Female
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1840
Age 81
Death quarter 3
Death year 1921
District CROYDON
County Surrey
Volume 2A
Page 256
Country England
Record set England & Wales deaths 1837-2007
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Deaths & burials
Collections from Great Britain
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Domenico Antonio Tonelli
Year of Registration: 1865
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
District: Croydon
County: Greater London, Kent, Surrey
Volume: 2a
Page: 190
Surrey, England, Baptisms, 1813-1912
2013
Name: Dominic Antonio Tonelli
Birth Date: 8 Dec 1865
Baptism Date: 7 Jan 1866
Archive Provided Parish: Croydon, St Peter
Parish as it Appears: Croydon
Father: Dominica Antonio Tonelli
Mother: Ellen Tonelli
Reference Number: 2912/1/1
UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
2012
Name: Domenico Antonio Tonelli
Gender: Male
Age: 87
Birth Date: abt 1866
Departure Date: 4 Jun 1953
Port of Departure: London, England
Destination Port: Melbourne, Australia
Ship Name: Mooltan
Search Ship Database: Search for the Mooltan in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: P and O
Official Number: 79866
Master: H P Mallet
Citing this record
'Domenico Antonio Tonelli III', 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_1223055377, accessed 24 Sep 2023]
