Thomas Carlyle
John Tweed (Glasgow 1869 - London 1933)
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
circa 1890
Materials
Plaster
Measurements
540 x 245 x 280 mm
Place of origin
Glasgow
Order this imageCollection
Carlyle's House, London
NT 263803
Summary
Plaster bust of Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) by John Tweed (1869-1933). Plaster cast of the original clay version which was modelled in Glasgow c. 1890, Tweed's first professional work. Painted, on an integrated square plaster socle. A plaque on the front of the socle reads: 'Head of Carlyle in plaster/ an early work by John Tweed/ presented by Filson Young'. Carlyle faces forward, with eyes slightly downcast.
Full description
While undertaking a teaching scholarship at Glasgow School of Art in the late 1880s, John Tweed took a studio at 18 Willowbank Street, Glasgow. It was here that he carried out his first professional work, a relief portrait of Thomas Carlyle, purchased by the Shakespearean critic, Mr. Allen Park Paton. Tweed greatly admired Carlyle; while studying and working in Glasgow he read Carlyle's books and sought the company of those with whom he could discuss his works. His friend, the publisher Mr. A.J. Symington, had a large collection of portraits of Carlyle and memorabilia relating to his life, and it was from this material that Tweed was able to model his first likeness of the 'Sage of Chelsea'. In her biography of her father, Lendal Tweed writes that Mr. Paton also purchased a bust of Carlyle from Tweed. The plaster bust in the collection at Carlyle's House is likely to be taken from this early bust bought by Paton. Filson Young, the BBC journalist who gave the bust to Carlye's House in 1929, was a supporter of the Carlyle House Memorial Trust and was elected as a member of the Trust in February 1915 (reported in the minutes of the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust Management Meeting 13 February 1915). John Tweed was asked to join the Board of Trustees in July 1929 (reported in the minutes of the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust Management Meeting 2 July 1929), and was later elected a member of the Trust in April 1932 (reported in the minutes of the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust Management Meeting 6 April 1932). Anna Moore (Jan 2018)
Provenance
Given to the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust by Mr. Filson Young (1876–1938) in March 1929. The gift is recorded in the minutes of the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust Committee of Management meeting held on 14 March 1929: 'Mr. Filson Young’s offer to present to the House a plaster head of Carlyle by Sir John Tweed was gratefully accepted'. Transferred to the National Trust in 1936.
Credit line
National Trust Collections (Carlyle's House, Chelsea)
Marks and inscriptions
Plaque on front of socle: HEAD OF CARLYLE IN PLASTER/ AN EARLY WORK BY JOHN TWEED/ PRESENTED BY FILSON YOUNG
Makers and roles
John Tweed (Glasgow 1869 - London 1933), sculptor
References
Tweed 1936: Lendal Tweed, John Tweed Sculptor A Memoir, London 1936, pp. 20-23 Capon 2013: Nicola Capon, John Tweed Sculpting the Empire, Squire Books Ltd 2013, pp. 15-16