"the Beggar Once A Year," An English Custom; Joseph Durham Works For The Royal Academy

The bronze is an original from the Victorian era, created by the renowned artist Joseph Durham. It bears the inscription "J. DURHAM." A.R.A. 1868. Joseph Durham was one of the most renowned British sculptors of the 19th century. He is particularly famous for creating the official monument to Prince Albert (Queen Victoria’s husband), which stands in front of the Royal
Albert Hall in London.A.R.A. stands for Associate of the Royal Academy. Durham received this prestigious honorary title in 1866, which explains why he proudly engraved it alongside the date of creation, 1868. The artist was particularly renowned for his great sensitivity in depicting children,
and the inscription engraved in English, “Only once a Year,” means “once a year.”The bronze bears the mark of the Cox & Sons foundry, indicating a date between 1874 and 1880; after that, it would bear the name Drew & Co. The Cox & Sons bronzes are commissioned sculptures produced in very limited editions