Walter Gilbert

Walter Gilbert (1871–1946) was an English sculptor. He first studied at Birmingham Municipal School of Art and then the National Art Training School, now the Royal College of Art. After a short career as an instructor, Gilbert worked at the Bromsgrove Guild, where he was a director, and then at H.H. Martyn & Co. While at the Guild, Gilbert collaborated with Louis Weingartner. When he had moved over to H.H. Martyn, his son, Donald Gilbert, was also employed by the firm, and father and son collaborated on many works. He retired in 1940 and died six years later.

Background

The son of Henry Edward Gilbert and Jane Isabella Gilbert, Walter Gilbert was born on 12 August 1871 in Rugby, Warwickshire. Gilbert and his wife, Ina MacGeoch, had two children. Margot and Donald were both encouraged to pursue artistic careers and both assisted their father on the Queen Marys interior decoration in the 1930s. Donald worked with his father on many commissions.

Education

Gilbert had an educational career that spanned western Europe, India and the United States. First, and under Benjamin Creswick, Gilbert studied at the Birmingham Municipal School of Art and from 1890 to 1893 at the then National Art Training School. Having completed his studies at these two schools, Gilbert sought out training around the world: in India, the United States, Belgium, France and Germany.

Gilbert participated in many exhibitions including those at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool in 1884 and Leeds City Art Gallery in 1902 and 1906. He also involved himself with garden furnishings and the design of glass. He retired in 1940.

Later years

On 23 January 1946 at Littlehampton, Sussex, Gilbert died. St Mary the Virgin, Hanbury, Worcestershire has a memorial that Donald created in memory of his father and Weingartner.

Gallery