The most famous sculptors in
Britain were Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. Both were influenced by Jacob
Epstein who created hundreds of works over seven decades. Here I am outside his
home in London where he died from a blood clot. His neighbour was Winston
Churchill and its thought he proposed Jacob receive a knighthood.
Jacob born in New York and wanted to be a
painter. With poor eyesight he decided to be a sculptor instead (perhaps he
wouldn’t have become as rich and famous as a painter.) Leaving school he got a
job in a bronze foundry and attended art college in the evenings. Aged 22 he
was asked to draw the illustrations for a book and was paid enough money to be
able to move to Paris where he studied at the Ecole
des Beaux Arts. After three years of training he moved to London. He was pretty
good - modelling his sculptures in clay and casting them in bronze - but his
first important commission didn’t go well. He design eighteen figures for the
offices of the British Medical Association in the Strand in London but they
aroused furious controversy and there was a campaign to have them torn down
(removed in 1937.)
He was famous for his series of portrait busts of
eminent figures and over 60 years he was commissioned work. Success stemmed
from his works seeming to be alive. His busts and faces seemed so expressive
they seemed to be almost moving. He sought to and succeeded in expressing the
power and grandeur of human life while also expressing the power of the
materials he used. He made bold often harsh works distinguished by its vigorous
realism (people like to run their hands over his faces.) Often the general
public were shocked (he didn’t care) and condemned his work as obscene and
disgraceful.
His private life was complicated. Despite being
married to and continuing to live with Margaret Dunlop he had a number of
relationships with other women that brought him his five children. His longest
relationships was with Kathleen Garman (mother of his three middle children)
which continued until his death. His wife tolerated Jacob’s infidelities to the
point of allowing models and lovers to live in the family home. She even raised
one of his illegitimate daughters. He wife didn’t like Kathleen Garman though
and once shot her (was only in the shoulder so she didn’t die.)
Aged 78 he breathed his last bit of oxygen in
this home which I'm stood outside. This quiet enclave sits off Hyde Park these
houses sell for £20 - £24million each. I'd ventured down this cul-de-sac to
find the house where Winston Churchill died. I've seen some of Jacob's busts
and faces at an exhibition and they seemed fascinatingly ugly while being
beautiful. I looked at the house and wondered if he'd died in one of the front
bedrooms - blood clots deaths are fast so he could have been in any of those
room. I did a salute and left.
Buried here...