Benjamin Edward Spence (1822 - 1866) was a 19th century English sculptor, who spent much of his professional life in Italy.
He was born in Liverpool in December 1822, the son of William Spence, a sculptor who later in life became a partner in a business house in Liverpool, and gave up the profession. In 1846 he was awarded the Heywood silver medal and a cash prize by the Royal Manchester Institution for a group in clay of the death of the Duke of York at the battle of Agincourt.[1]
His father was persuaded by John Gibson to send Edward to Rome. There he entered the studio of Richard James Wyatt, and also received help from Gibson. He died at Livorno (then known as Leghorn) on 21 October 1866.[1]
In 1870 Christie's auctioneers in London and a sale of his Italian studio works brought from Rome.[2]
Between 1849 and 1867 Spence contributed to the exhibition of the Royal Academy five times: in 1850 with "Ophelia", in 1856 "Venus and Cupid", in 1861 "Hippolytus", and in 1867 "The Parting of Hector and Andromache". He contributed "Highland Mary" to the Exposition Universelle 1855, and two works, "Finding of Moses" and "Jeanie Deans before Queen Caroline", to the International Exhibition 1862. A number works of his that were not exhibited in England were engraved for the Art Journal.[1]
Attribution