Sir William Reid Dick
Thank you Michael Copeland for this photo above.
King Edward VIIIby
Sir William Reid Dick, RA 1878-1961
He also did a beautiful portrait of The Princess Elizabeth (Now Our Queen)
He is one of Chris Miller’s yellow names on the 20th century figure sculpture website. He was a Scottish sculptor from Glasgow who produced some wonderful work. I have been searching the web and books for examples of his work and found very little, made more frustrating by the long lists of works it is known he has done.
Silence
Girl
The Man Child
The Catapult
(Each mounted differently)
But finally I am going to break a golden rule. I am going to offer you this delightful one below knowing I may be wrongly attributing it to him.
I do so on the flimsiest of evidence; this following description of the work "Kelpie" dated 1920
...much praised has been his work “Kelpie” a girl sitting on a rock cross-legged, her left hand resting on the rock and supporting the body inclined backwards, the right arm bent, the elbow resting on the right thigh, the hand raised to the chin....
I know, it seems that the arms are reversed and the legs are only just crossed and she is hardly leaning back. I hope if wrong someone will let me know.
Ulf tells me I have got this wrong. It is titled 'Childhood of Cain' by Antonio Teixeira Lopez, 1890, and is indeed an excellent work. More detail on the comments by Ulf.
So can anyone help me on Kelpie?
So can anyone help me on Kelpie?
Labels: W Reid Dick
posted by Robert at 4:58 pm
13 Comments:
Thanks for posting all these pictures, Robert.
I hope WRD made "Kelpie" -- it's my favorite piece here -- and would be so nice to find in a garden.
"William Reid DICK , The Kelpie , 1920
Bronze, dark green patina , Sculpture-Installation , H 11 in, H 28 cm"
This isn't bronze, though...
And what is the relief below, with the woman lying in the grass and the man stealing away?
It would look very charming in my garden!
Hi Marly, yes I saw that in artprice too. I think this is the bigger version though, and it would look good in your garden. A Kelpie is a Scottish river spirit which will entice a passer by to disaster. Usually a horse of great beauty who allows itself to be caught and then drowns the unwitting traveller. It was a popular subject in the early 20c but as a beautiful woman. However I am not entirely happy that this all fits with is particular sculpture in the pictures. I have put a bronze version on the Dorset blog.
I particularly like silence and girl. I could sit and stare at them.
I think Silence is one of my favs in this groupings.
I just came back to see if you had responded and was shocked to see I had already left a comment and had chosen the same one as my fav. I totally dont even remember leaving that first one.
hahaaaa
Here's a good gallery site for English sculpture (I tried to send it to your email box -- but it couldn't get through)
http://www.chrisbeetles.com/pictures/sculpture.htm
Hi,
Unfortunately I think you are wrong. The sculpture you have shown is not William Reid Dick's "Kelpie".
The marble sculpture is made by the portugese artist Antonio Teixeira Lopez in 1890. It's title (name) is "Infancia de Caim", which means "Childhood of Cain". The name is "Infancia de Caim", but this is sometimes misprinted as "Infancia de Cain".
The original marble sculpture is presently permanent exibited in a museum established solely to display the works of Antonio Teixeira Lopez, in the city of Porto in Portugal.
A smaller bronze version of this sculpture was sold for GBP 4000,- at Sotheby's 15th Nov 2005.
And as you by now surely have figured out: This is a boy, not a girl. But beautiful nevertheless.
With best regards.
Ulf
Thank you Ulf, I hoped an answer would come and here it is
http://www.mnsr-ipmuseus.pt/coleccoes/escultura/02.html
This requires another post soon!
Nice blog! I love Reid's "The Man Child" and wonder where it can be seen? Somewhere outdoors in London, I heard...
I will be visiting London October 122 and 13. What and where you recommend visiting in order to visit as many of his works as possible. Sir Reid is my great uncle, he is the only member of the family that remained in the UK, his parents and siblings all moved to Albany, NY.
I have just inherited a version of The Catapult and trying to find out when it was sculpted by Dick? It looks like the 2nd Catapult photo on this site...bronze with dark coloured marble base. Sculpture stands 12 inches high and pedestal is 1 inch high. Dick's signature appears under left foot as Reid Dick ARA. On the face of the pedestal there is some faint etching "JL 640". Any thoughts on how to determine the provenance much appreciated.
This contemporary baroque is simply beautiful! You are truly gifted.
Post a Comment
<< Home