Emmeline Halse facts for kids

Emmeline Halse (born May 25, 1853 – died February 6, 1930) was a talented British sculptor. She was famous for creating sculptures of characters and stories from ancient myths. Emmeline often showed her amazing artwork in London and Paris during the late 1800s.

About Emmeline Halse

Emmeline Halse was born in London, England. She came from a very artistic family! Her father, George Halse, was a bank manager, a writer, and also a sculptor. Her mother's father was even part of the royal bodyguard.

Her Education and Training

Emmeline first learned about art from her father. Later, she went to the Royal Academy Schools in London. She studied there from 1877 to 1883. At the Academy, she was taught by a famous artist named Lord Leighton. Emmeline was a great student and won three medals for her work!

After her time in London, Emmeline continued her art studies in Paris, France. She attended the famous École des Beaux-Arts. There, she learned from another skilled artist, Frédéric-Louis-Désiré Bogino.

Her Amazing Sculptures

During her career, Emmeline Halse created many different types of sculptures. She made:

• Portrait busts: These are sculptures of a person's head and shoulders.
• Reliefs: These are sculptures where the figures stick out from a flat background.
• Life-size marble statues: Big sculptures carved from marble.
• Smaller pieces: This included wax figures, medallions (like large coins with designs), and terracotta tiles.

Emmeline showed her art often. She displayed her works in Paris, at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and in cities like Manchester and Glasgow. In London, she showed at least 33 pieces at the Royal Academy between 1878 and 1920.

One of her well-known relief sculptures is The Pleiades, made in 1887. You can find it today at the Glasgow Museums. Other museums and churches also bought or asked Emmeline to create art for them. A very important piece is the large reredos (a decorated screen behind an altar) of the Crucifixion. It is in the Church of St John the Evangelist in Ladbroke Grove.

Personal Life and Legacy

In 1895 and 1896, Emmeline's parents passed away within a few months of each other. Emmeline sculpted their headstone for a cemetery in Kensington. For most of her adult life, Emmeline Halse lived in Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire. She passed away in 1930, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful and inspiring sculptures.