Benjamin Edward Spence

Benjamin Edward Spence (1822–1866) was an English sculptor, who spent much of his professional life in Italy

Life

He was born in Liverpool in 1822, son of William Spence, a sculptor who later in life became a partner in a business house in Liverpool, and gave up the profession. At the age of 16 he made a portrait bust of William Roscoe, and in 1846 he was awarded the Heywood silver medal and a cash by the Royal Manchester Institution for a group in clay of the death of the Duke of York at the battle of Agincourt.^[1]

His father was persuaded by John Gibson to send Spence to Rome. Here he entered the studio of Richard James Wyatt, and also received help from Gibson. He died at Livorno on 21 October 1866.^[1]

Works

Benjamin Edward Spence, monument for the grave of Devereux Plantagenet Cockburn in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome

Between 1849 and 1867 Spence contributed to the exhibition of the Royal Academy five times: in 1850 with "Ophelia", in 1856 "Venus and Cupid", in 1861 "Hippolytus", and in 1867 "The Parting of Hector and Andromache". He contributed "Highland Mary" to the Exposition Universelle 1855, and two works, "Finding of Moses" and "Jeanie Deans before Queen Caroline", to the International Exhibition 1862. A number works of his that were not exhibited in England were engraved for the Art Journal.^[1]

Notes

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Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1898). "Spence, Benjamin Edward". Dictionary of National Biography. 53. London: Smith, Elder & Co.