The Bather

The Museum purchased this figure direct from the sculptor, Morton Edwards (1834-1917), in 1872. In his Guide to Modelling in Clay and Wax (1879) Edwards commented on the interest in tinted statuary, noting that John Gibson had revived the process of colouring marble, and that 'there seems to have been latterly a much more favourable opinion respecting its employment, for there are many who think very highly of the results obtained by colouring or tinting marble statues both among sculptors and artists. ... The public generally say, "Give us a picture - sculpture is too cold"; and they are in a measure right. What should we say of anyone who esteemed a black and white crayon drawing of a picture more than the picture itself in all its glory of colour?'