Sculpture of the Day: A Bust of King George V in Naval Uniform, 1914

Bust of King George V
in Naval Uniform
James Stevenson, 1914
The Royal Collection

This bust from 1914 is the work of the celebrated sculptor James Stevenson and depicts King George V looking quite sturdy in his Naval uniform as Britain was gripped by the chaos and tragedy of the Great War.

James Stevenson, who was known for his portrait busts, was trained in sculpture at the Royal College of Art and the Royal Academy Schools. This particular bust of the King was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1915. Stevenson often signed his works in a peculiar way. This is evidenced on this bust which shows the sculptor’s usual signature MYRANDER. The word is a conflation of his wife’s Christian name and his own second Christian name.