J. G. Bubb

James George Bubb (1781–1853) was a prolific sculptor in marble and artificial stone of the early Victorian era who is now largely forgotten.

[6] Bubb submitted the lowest tender against other more prominent sculptors including Lawrence Gahagan and his former employer John Charles Felix Rossi.

[8] In November 1811 he applied to become an Associate of the Royal Academy in competition with sculptors including William Theed I, Sir Francis Chantrey RA, Peter Turnerelli and John Bacon II.

Among his most notable works were decorative sculptures for buildings including a commission for statues and a bas-relief for the Commercial Rooms in Bristol from about 1811 show his growing skill and ability.

[4] In 1818 after the bankruptcy of his terracotta modelling business he and Rossi went into partnership despite their previous antipathy to provide a large number of sculptures for the new Customs House in the City of London for which they used Bubb's composition material ‘lithargolite’.

[4] Bubb again used his terracotta-like composition ‘lithargolite’ for his frieze for the Italian Opera House in the Haymarket which had Apollo and the Muses at its centre, and a carved allegory of the Progress of Music; the fragments which still survive show figures ranging from ancient Egyptian dancers to others in contemporary clothing.

The Literary Gazette said of his pediment with 40 figures for Cumberland Terrace that it was "on so large a scale that it is only exceeded in size by that on St Paul’s Cathedral".

[6] However, Katharine Esdaile was impressed by the remains of Bubb's frieze for the Italian Opera House and in 1929 described him as one of the "Illustrious Obscure" with a "genius for relief".