Born in Dublin, Ireland 1842; Died in Surrey, England 1924

Irish Sculptor and Medallist; associated with the New Sculpture Movement

Albert Bruce-Joy trained at the South Kensington Schools and at the Royal Academy Schools. He worked as an assistant to the reputable mid-Victorian sculptor, John Henry Foley (1818-1874), and spent a further three years studying in Rome; a source of much sculptural education and inspiration, and visited also by so many of Bruce-Joy's contemporaries. With Foley's sudden death in 1874, Bruce-Joy joined a number of Foley's pupils and decided to complete any outstanding commissions; a move which cemented for many of them careers as public sculptors. Bruce-Joy went on to complete several public commissions and was praised for his naturalistic approach to portraiture, a feature that remained a constant throughout his long career. Bruce-Joy exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy (between 1866 and 1923) and also at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts (between 1870 and 1914).

Bruce-Joy's sculptures can be seen in London, Dublin, Manchester, and Liverpool, among other cities. A collection of his marble portraits and a portrait medal are held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.

(Benjamin Angwin - September 2014)