Alfred Stevens 1817 - 1875

Born at Blandford, Dorset the son of a humble decorator. Stevens was sent to Italy in 1883 by the Reverend Samuel Best and studied mainly in Florence and Rome; where he developed a deep interest in Italian Art. In Rome, he became an assistant to Thorwaldsen in 1840 and returned to England in 1842. He taught at The New School of Design at Somerset House from 1845 and made designs for Hoole of Sheffield from 1850.