“Jesus as the Good Shepherd” by Francis John Williamson (1833-1920)

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Jesus as the Good Shepherd,” by Francis John Williamson

Jesus as the Good Shepherd (Memorial to the sculptor)

Francis John Williamson (1833-1920)

Bronze relief

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The inscription on the green marble below reads, in gold lettering and all in capitals, "To the glory of God and in memory of / Francis John Williamson / who was a sculptor of eminence / who lived for over 60 years in this village / Born 1833 Died 1920."

Photograph, caption, and commentary by Jacqueline Banerjee

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL or credit the Victorian Web in a print one.]

Williamson lived very close to the church, at Grapes House, at the top of Esher High Street. This fine relief (signed” by the sculptor in the lower righthand corner) shows Jesus caring for his flock, and at the same time, it seems, listening to God. One of the ewes, and her lamb, are looking up at him. The relief was placed here, to the left of the south porch of the church,” by his daughter. Not at all cold, smoothed-out or over-elaborate (see Spielmann's criticisms of his work), it has a fluidity and grace that link it to the New Sculpture of the time, and make it a fitting memorial. A similar gesture was made to John Flaxman” by the Royal Academy, which placed one of Flaxman's own reliefs as a memorial to him in St Giles-in-the-Fields, London, where the earlier sculptor was buried.

Bibliography

Francis J. Williamson — "The Grapes.'" Esher Residents Association. Web. 1 February 2012.

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Last modified 1 February 2012