Henry Moore Artwork Catalogue
John Galizia, London
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Person TypeFoundry
John Galizia, London
The Galizia Foundry was established in 1930 by John (Giovanni) Galizia (c.1896-1958) at 36 York Road in Battersea, London. Giovanni had come to England from Sicily in 1912 and previously worked as a bronze foundry foreman, and later as partner in the foundry set up by Giovanni Fiorini in Battersea until it closed in 1929. John Galizia initially ran the foundry with Antonio Vichi (1875-1965), who had moved to England from Rome in 1912. Later, Antonio’s son Armando Vichi (b.1914) also joined the business.
The foundry was known as John Galizia from 1930 to 1955 and then as John Galizia & Son Ltd (1956-84) after John was joined by his son Vincent John Galizia (1921-90). The foundry specialised in the lost-wax casting process, largely producing small-scale sculptures, but also cast some larger works. Between 1929 and 1941, John Galizia taught bronze casting and the lost wax (‘cire perdue’) process at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London.
After John Galizia’s death in 1958, Vincent John managed the business, and moved it in 1969 to new purpose-designed premises on Chatfield Road, just off York Road, in Battersea. It remained there until it closed in 1984. The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds now holds the Galizia archive.
Henry Moore worked with the foundry in the 1950s, including for the casting of Rocking Chair No. 4: Miniature 1950, cast 1952 (LH 277); Seated Woman on Bench 1953 (LH 346); Maquette for Seated Torso 1954 (LH 361); and Maquette for Seated Figure against Curved Wall 1955, cast 1956-57 (LH 421). The foundry also cast larger works for Moore, including an edition of five casts plus one artist’s copy of Warrior with Shield 1953-54 (LH 360) and six casts of King and Queen 1952-53, cast c.1952-53 and 1957 (LH 350).
In 1956, in a letter to Michael Ayrton, Moore wrote:
Galizia, I think, is the best and most reliable bronze caster in England, but he is also the most expensive by quite a lot, and he is always full of work and won’t do rush jobs
(Henry Moore to Michael Ayrton, 1 November 1956, Henry Moore Archive).
For more information, see:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/research/programmes/british-bronze-founders-and-plaster-figure-makers-1800-1980-1/british-sculpture-makers-g
https://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/mapping/public/view/person.php?id=msib4_1250773487&search=galizia
The foundry was known as John Galizia from 1930 to 1955 and then as John Galizia & Son Ltd (1956-84) after John was joined by his son Vincent John Galizia (1921-90). The foundry specialised in the lost-wax casting process, largely producing small-scale sculptures, but also cast some larger works. Between 1929 and 1941, John Galizia taught bronze casting and the lost wax (‘cire perdue’) process at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London.
After John Galizia’s death in 1958, Vincent John managed the business, and moved it in 1969 to new purpose-designed premises on Chatfield Road, just off York Road, in Battersea. It remained there until it closed in 1984. The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds now holds the Galizia archive.
Henry Moore worked with the foundry in the 1950s, including for the casting of Rocking Chair No. 4: Miniature 1950, cast 1952 (LH 277); Seated Woman on Bench 1953 (LH 346); Maquette for Seated Torso 1954 (LH 361); and Maquette for Seated Figure against Curved Wall 1955, cast 1956-57 (LH 421). The foundry also cast larger works for Moore, including an edition of five casts plus one artist’s copy of Warrior with Shield 1953-54 (LH 360) and six casts of King and Queen 1952-53, cast c.1952-53 and 1957 (LH 350).
In 1956, in a letter to Michael Ayrton, Moore wrote:
Galizia, I think, is the best and most reliable bronze caster in England, but he is also the most expensive by quite a lot, and he is always full of work and won’t do rush jobs
(Henry Moore to Michael Ayrton, 1 November 1956, Henry Moore Archive).
For more information, see:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/research/programmes/british-bronze-founders-and-plaster-figure-makers-1800-1980-1/british-sculpture-makers-g
https://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/mapping/public/view/person.php?id=msib4_1250773487&search=galizia