The funeral of Sir Jacob Epstein (1880-1959), a contender for greatest sculptor of the 20th century, was held at Putney Vale Cemetery beside Wimbledon Common exactly 53 years ago today.

Although born and trained in New York, Epstein moved to France in 1902 to study at the École des Beaux-Arts and settled in London three years later. He married Margaret Dunlop in 1907, became a British citizen in 1911, served in the 38th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers during World War I, and secured a knighthood some 40 years later in 1954.

Settling first in Sussex, he created many of his works at his two successive homes in Loughton, Essex. Famed for several of the most familiar 20th century sculptures in public locations, his particular interests included Egyptology so perhaps it was fitting that his final resting place beside Wimbledon Common should be near that of Howard Carter, discoverer of Tutankhamen’s tomb .

Epstein’s famous creations include the Oscar Wilde Memorial at Père-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris (1911), the statue of General Jan Smuts in London’s Parliament Square (1956) and St Michael's Victory over the Devil outside the newly rebuilt Coventry Cathedral (1958).

But he was always a portraitist and among his outstanding works were busts of the writer Joseph Conrad (1924), the black American bass singer Paul Robeson (1928), the scientist Albert Einstein (1933) (whom he later described as humane, humorous and profound, resembling “the ageing Rembrandt”), and the Labour politician Ernest Bevin (1943).

A leading pioneer of modern sculpture, Epstein was frequently a highly controversial artist whose creations challenged attitudes to acceptability for public artworks. The Oscar Wilde Memorial caused such a storm for supposed indecency when it was unveiled that the police covered it with a tarpaulin for a while. It must have been a feather in Epstein’s cap when he met Picasso, Brancusi and Modigliani at the time.

Soon afterwards he created The Rock Drill, a unique representation of the modern world influenced by both Cubism and Futurism. A jagged piece integrating a robot-like figure with an actual drill, the piece expressed exhilaration for the rapidly developing technological world of the day.

At the time Epstein was interested in the potential this offered for human progress. However, after seeing what it actually amounted to during World War 1 he later created a second version of the work, devoid of its legs and drill and presenting simply a nightmarish image of the future with its potential for devastation.

Epstein was also known for his many bronze sculptures of women, including his wife, mistress and many other models, among them the mysterious “Dolores” who came to live with them for a while.

Her bronze bust is said to have an Egyptian look and was made soon after Carter’s discovery of the Tutankhamen tomb. However, Epstein also made many sculptures of friends, casual acquaintances, and even strangers brought into his studio almost at random and he worked until the day he died in August 1959.

He is said to have influenced both of Britain’s other leading 20th century sculptors, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, befriending Moore in the 1920s and sharing with both his interest in the non-western art collections in the British Museum.

Despite his marriage he had many relationships with other women which produced his five children. His daughter Kitty was married for a time to another iconic artist, Lucian Freud.

The Wimbledon Society is working with the Wimbledon Guardian to ensure that you, the readers, can share the fascinating discoveries that continue to emerge about our local heritage.

For more information, visit wimbledonsociety.org.uk and www.wimbledonmuseum.org.uk .

Click here for more fascinating articles about Wimbledon's heritage