Background

Mapping Sculpture 1851-1951 is an authoritative study of sculptors and related businesses in the century between the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Festival of Britain in 1951. During this time sculptural activity was transformed by urban expansion, the parallel development of teaching institutions, museums and exhibiting societies, changing attitudes to art and craft, and, above all, the emergence of modernism. Initial estimates, based on sampling exhibition records and trade directories during the project's development phase, suggested there were around 3,000-3,500 sculptors and about 900-1,100 related businesses active in this period. At present five standard works of reference contain information on only 14% of the estimated sculptors and less than 1% of trades.  This means researchers must currently visit numerous libraries and archives across Britain and Ireland to investigate late nineteenth and early twentieth century sculpture. Mapping Sculpture 1851-1951 will transform the current knowledge base by completing eight person years of research within three years and making the resulting database of information about sculptors and related businesses freely accessible online.