Grinling Gibbons

Grinling Gibbons (1648 – 1721) is Britain's most celebrated wood carver – his name synonymous with an evergreen style of decoration that transformed the interiors in many of the nation's greatest palaces, churches and institutions. He was also a designer and ran a flourishing business supplying carvings and sculpture in stone, marble and bronze. The V&A holds a rich variety of his work, including two of his most important limewood carvings, and marbles from the great altarpiece in King James II's lost Catholic Chapel at Whitehall Palace.

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From the eminent artists and designers of all nations and ages, Gibbons was one of those chosen to adorn the Museum's façade and interiors in the 19th century. His remarkable works, loved for their vitality, technical brilliance and virtuosity, continue to delight, influence and inspire.

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Header image:

Portrait of Grinling Gibbons, by John Smith after Sir Godfrey Kneller, about 1690 – 1720, Britain. Museum no. E.166-1937. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London