Glasgow - City of Sculpture
By Gary Nisbet
Gilbert Bayes
(1872-1953)

Born in London into an artistic family, his father was the painter and etcher Alfred Walter Bayes, and his brother the painter Walter John Bayes.

He studied at the City and Guilds College, Finsbury, and at the RA Schools, 1896-9. After winning the Gold Medal and Travelling Scholarship, 1899, he studied in Paris and exhibited at the 1900 Exposition Universale.

His fine art work was often inspired by the Classics and Wagner's operas, but his architectural and public sculpture was more conventional in subject and style.

He executed the portrait statues of Sir William Chambers and Sir Charles Barry on the Victoria and Albert Museum; the statue of Joseph Priestly on J J Burnet 's Institute of Chemistry, Russell Square, London (1914); and the bronze on the doors of the New South Wales Art Gallery, Sydney, Australia.

One of his best known works is the bronze group at the entrance to Selfridges, Oxford Street, London (1928).

His only Glasgow commission was for the Classical relief panels on James Miller 's former Commercial Bank of Scotland, 30 Bothwell Street (1934-5), which were carved in Portland stone by Joseph Armitage .

He was elected an HRI , 1918, and was awarded the RBS medal in 1935. From 1939-44, he served as PRBS .

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Works in our Database:
#26 1: Bothwell Street (City Centre),
Commercial Bank of Scotland, 30 Bothwell Street
Allegorical Relief Panels depicting 'The Qualities of Man in Modern Society' (1934-5)
Modeller: G Bayes; Sculptor: J Armitage;
Architect: J Miller
 
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