Grinling Gibbons | |
|---|---|
 Grinling Gibbons by Sir Godfrey Kneller | |
| Born | 4 April 1648 |
| Died | 3 August 1721 (aged 73) |
| Resting place | St Paul's, Covent Garden, London |
| Occupation(s) | Famous Sculptor and Wood Carver |
| Known for | Works on St Paul's Cathedral |
Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London churches, Petworth House and other country houses, Trinity College, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge. Gibbons was born to English parents in Holland, where he was educated.[1]
His father was a merchant. Gibbons was a member of the Drapers' Company of London; he is widely regarded as the finest wood carver working in England, and the only one whose name is widely known among the general public. Most of his work is in lime (Tilia) wood, especially decorative Baroque garlands made up of still-life elements at about life size, made to frame mirrors and decorate the walls of churches and palaces, but he also produced furniture and small relief plaques with figurative scenes. He also worked in stone, mostly for churches. By the time he was established he led a large workshop, and the extent to which his personal hand appears in later work varies.[citation needed]