William Reid Dick

Sir William Reid Dick, K.C.V.O., R.A. (1879-1961) The Catapult or Slingboy signed 'Reid Dick' bronze, dark-brown patina, on verde marble plinth the bronze: 12¼ in. (31.1 cm.) high George Foster Clark (1864-1932) and thence by descent to a Maltese private collection. H. Granville Fell, Sir William Reid Dick, K.C.V.O., R.A., London, 1945, pl. 2. J. Cooper, Nineteenth Century Romantic Bronzes: French, English and American Bronzes 1830-1915, Devon, 1975, pp. 97-8 (another cast). Joanna Barnes Fine Arts (ed.), Leighton and his sculptural legacy: British sculpture 1875-1930, exh. cat., London, 1996, p. 56, no. 25 (another cast). An early model by Reid Dick, the original bronze of The Catapult, or Slingboy as it is also known, was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1911 (no. 1920; now in Bradford City Art Gallery, Cartwright Hall). The work was subsequently cast by Giovanni Galizia for the Parlanti foundry in two sizes, the present half-size and a larger version. Recalling elements of Leighton's An Athlete wrestling with a Python (1874) and The Sluggard (1890), as well as Gilbert's Perseus Arming (1881-2), The Catapult was described by Granville Fell as a 'well-balanced, tense figure, precise in modelling'. (Granville Fell, op. cit., pl. 2).

Sir William Reid Dick (British,1879-1961) Winston Churchill, 1944 signed and dated 'W. Reid Dick 1944' (on the nape of theneck) bronze with dark patina height 18 1/2in (47cm) Accompanying the above lot is a letter dated 31st January 1937 fromCatherine Reid Dick, the artist's wife, to Mrs. Sinnott, aunt ofBernardine Murphy Donohue, which discusses her sadness at the"abdication of our beloved Edward" and how she couldn't believe heever intended to marry Wallis Simpson. The letter continues on todiscuss her husband's design for the National monument for George Vas well as her wishes that the young Bernardine should be presentedat Court.

Sir William Reid Dick, R.A. (1879-1961) Sir Winston Churchill signed, dated and numbered '2/9 REID DICK 1942' (on the back of the neck), and with foundry mark bronze with green patina on a marble base 18½ in. (47 cm.) high, including marble base Lot Notes View Lot Condition Report Sir William Reid Dick was renowned for portrait statuary and held the position of Sculptor in Ordinary to King George VI from 1938 until his death in 1961. In 1942 Reid Dick was commissioned by the Royal Academy to produce a bronze bust of Sir Winston Churchill. At a time when Churchill was so preocupied with the war, Reid Dick was lucky to get access to the Prime Minister and it was only after George VI's intervention that Churchill agreed to sit for Reid Dick.

SIR WILLIAM REID DICK K.C.V.O., R.A. (1879-1961) Dawn bronze with rich light mid-brown patination, showing the bust of a sleeping baby on an integral square block base 5 in. (12.7 cm.) high signed REID DICK ARA and dated 1925 Lot Notes This charming study is believed to be that of Reid Dick's son.

SIR WILLIAM REID DICK, K.C.V.O., R.A. (1879-1961) The Catapult or Slingboy signed 'Reid Dick' bronze, dark-brown patina, on Siena marble plinth the bronze: 12¼ in. (31.1 cm.) high Provenance with The Fine Art Society, London, 1978. Literature H. Granville Fell, Sir William Reid Dick, K.C.V.O., R.A.,London, 1945, pl. 2. J. Cooper, Nineteenth Century Romantic Bronzes: French, English andAmerican Bronzes 1830-1915, Devon, 1975, pp. 97-8 (another cast).Joanna Barnes Fine Arts ed., exh. cat., Leighton and his sculpturallegacy: British sculpture 1875-1930, London, 1996, p. 56, no. 25(another cast). Lot Notes An early model by Reid Dick, the original bronze of TheCatapult, or Slingboy, as it is also known, was exhibited at theRoyal Academy in 1911 (no. 1920; now in Bradford City Art Gallery,Cartwright Hall). The work was subsequently cast by GiovanniGalizia for the Parlanti foundry in two sizes, the presenthalf-size and a larger version. Recalling elements of Leighton's AnAthlete wrestling with a Python (1874) and The Sluggard (1890), aswell as Gilbert's Perseus Arming (1881-2), The Catapult wasdescribed by Granville Fell as a 'well-balanced, tense figure,precise in modelling'. (Granville Fell, pl. 2).