Wood carver

[movay_2008]

Someone mentioned to me a famous wood carver of the 19th century, but forget his name so as to google. Itt was something like grimble gumbley or Gimmley gribben....?

History of wood carving - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Woodwould]

Do you mean Grinling Gibbons? He was born in the seventeenth-century and executed the most fantastic naturalistic carvings.

[underfoot]

Do you mean Grinling Gibbons? .

I wonder if that was his real name..........or just something his parents made up

[movay_2008]

Thanks WW, that's our man.

Google Image Result for http://pasunautre.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Grinling_Gibbons_by_Sir_Godfrey_Kneller_Bt.jpg

[Woodwould]

I wonder if that was his real name..........or just something his parents made up

Well Gibbons is quite a common English surname (think Stanley Gibbons), but curiously enough, it's believed that 'Grinling' was an amalgamation of other family/maiden names – either that or he was a smiley baby.

[Artesano]

Well Gibbons is quite a common English surname (think Stanley Gibbons), but curiously enough, it's believed that 'Grinling' was an amalgamation of other family/maiden names – either that or he was a smiley baby.

I believe he was Dutch , and only started working in England when he was in his 20-s , but can't remember where did I read this - dont shoot if I'm wrong.
Another great carver to check out would be Tilman Riemenschneider (one of my all-time favorit woodcarvers)

[movay_2008]

My first trip to Europe was ten years ago. My main hope was to see a good example of older wood carving. Our iternary was not quite of our own making and we were to land in Frankfurt and go straight to Wurzburg (Bavaria). What a treat... TR's home town! I'd never heard of him before and I wandered was in some strange eleventh heaven for days - climacting with the Marien alterpiece in Creglingen. He was actually mayor there, but they cut of his hands I believe, the dirty swines!