Sir Isaac Pitman,” by Brock

Sir Isaac Pitman (1813-1897)

Sir Thomas Brock, K.C.B., R.A. 1847-1922

Marble, on a stone pedestal

1889 (replica of 1887 bust for the Pitman Institute, London)

The Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Bath

"In accepting the bust, Pitman said: 'I have some difficulty in deciding which is the man and which is the image. I must really appeal to Mr Brock (Mr Brock answered with a smile). I think this (pointing to the bust) must be the man, such as he ought to be for purity and beauty, and this (pointing to himself) the imperfect image. I only wonder how my friend Mr Brock could have made such an image from such a subject'" (Sankey 117).

  • Bust against a different background

    Photograph and text kindly provided by John Sankey, whose copyright they remain.