Ian Brennan (sculptor)
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Ian G. Brennan (born 1950) is the official sculptor to the Most Noble Order of the Garter and Most Honourable Order of the Bath.[1] Brennan has received over ninety-five commissions for the Royal Household; these include over seventy-five carved and painted crowns, coronets and crests. Those of the Garter knights have been installed in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Those of the Knights of the Bath have been installed in Henry VII Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey.[2]
Order of the Garter
Brennan's commissions in both wood and bronze for the British Royal Household have drawn other patrons. In the nearly 30 years since his appointment as official sculptor to Britain's two most prestigious orders, the artist has completed commissions for the King of Spain, the Queen of the Netherlands, the King of Norway and the Emperor of Japan.[3]
Over the course of decades, a number of newly created crests carved by Brennan have been positioned above the knights' choir stalls (seats) in St George's Chapel, including those of royals such as the Duke of Cambridge and prime ministers such as Margaret Thatcher. The gilded chrysanthemum crest of Emperor Akihito represented a somewhat different artistic challenge than is normally posed by the conventions of European heraldry.
Brennan has also been asked to replace some of the older carvings in the chapel which have become damaged or missing. Among the restored Garter crests are those of King Frederik IX of Denmark, King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.[4]
Order of the Bath
Brennan carved the crest for the Prince of Wales, Great Master of the Order of the Bath. Other crests created by Brennan for Knights of the Bath include those of Sir Douglas Lowe, Sir Neil Wheeler and Sir Anthony Griffin.[5]
