.jpg?maxwidth=3840)
Lot 177
William McMillan, R.A. (1887-1977)
Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A., a maquette
Closed13 July 2016
Price Realised
GBP 18,750
More Information
Specialist note
The present lot is a maquette for the life-size statue of Turner at the Royal Academy, London, commissioned by the Leighton Fund (1896-1951) in 1936. On Leighton's death £10,000 was given to the Royal Academy, the interest of which was to be used for acquiring or commissioning works of Decorative Painting, Sculpture and Architecture to be located in public places.
The Royal Academy Annual Report of 1936 notes that the Council inspected the full-size model of the statue of Turner in McMillan’s studio in February and having suggested a few minor alterations they approved the work for completion. The plaster model was exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1936.
The Scottish born sculptor McMillan first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1917, he was elected a full Academician in 1933, and in 1929 was appointed Master of the sculpture school at the Royal Academy. He was elected full member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1932. It was within a couple of years of this public recognition that McMillan began work on his statue of Turner. This piece was one of the first of a series of important public sculptures including: King George V (1938, Calcutta), Nereid and Triton with Dolphins (1948, Trafalgar Square), King George VI (1955, Carlton Gardens) and Sir Walter Raleigh (1959, Greenwich).
The Royal Academy Annual Report of 1936 notes that the Council inspected the full-size model of the statue of Turner in McMillan’s studio in February and having suggested a few minor alterations they approved the work for completion. The plaster model was exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1936.
The Scottish born sculptor McMillan first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1917, he was elected a full Academician in 1933, and in 1929 was appointed Master of the sculpture school at the Royal Academy. He was elected full member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1932. It was within a couple of years of this public recognition that McMillan began work on his statue of Turner. This piece was one of the first of a series of important public sculptures including: King George V (1938, Calcutta), Nereid and Triton with Dolphins (1948, Trafalgar Square), King George VI (1955, Carlton Gardens) and Sir Walter Raleigh (1959, Greenwich).