DOI Artikel:
West, W. K.: The work of F. Derwent Wood
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20710#0315
P. Derwent JVood
their way more or less tentatively towards the there for only a brief period. In 1889 he gained
proper expression of their convictions—at an age, a National Scholarship, and began a course of
indeed, when many men have scarcely decided study of modelling under Professor Lanteri in the
what are the convictions by which they propose to Royal College of Art at South Kensington ; and
be guided in their practice. that he made rapid progress under the supervision
He was born at Keswick in 1872 ; but while of this admirable teacher is proved by the fact that
he was still a young child he was taken abroad, and only two years later he was able to take a post as
when he was nine years old he commenced his assistant to Professor Legros at the Slade School,
education at Lausanne. At the age of fifteen he This post he held until 1893, when he became a
went to Karlsruhe, where he remained for two student in the schools of the Royal Academy,
years; and then he returned to England. His His career at the Academy was comparatively
first practical experience as an art worker was short, but it was exceptionally distinguished, and
obtained in his uncle's potteries ; but he worked culminated in 1895 with his success in securing
the gold medal and travelling scholar-
ship for sculpture with a group, half
life size, of Dmdalus and Icarus.
During the period covered by his
Academy studentship he was working
wr^^k Mffl 'n tnc day-time as an assistant to
■ In Brock, and at night in the schools,
so that he was learning the practical
side of his profession under the best
possible guidance, and was laying an
WM 9S . a^». fl admirable foundation of knowledge
■ I .^■■^Jiy^fi^«BBiiBBa^^"«b upon which to build in after years,
fcvi iPEfl To such good use did he put the ex-
perience which he had so far accumu-
lated, that he was able in 1897, soon
■■■BK^KSK'-11 -"^S after the expiration of the term of his
Bfcfo^^LJy travelling scholarship, to gain an award
PP"^: at the Paris Salon for a group, Charity,
K , I j& and so to rank himself, when barely
H I five-and-twenty, among sculptors of
wj/mM' .'JMBvl established repute. By this time the
preparatory stage of his professional
BJfc^J'^H^^HRjl ''fe may fairly be said to have come to
an end; he had acquired something
¥ jfl like mastery over the details of his
W: jM craft, and was well qualified to attempt
independent undertakings of an im-
portant kind.
When he returned to London after
B I ' his stay abroad, he rejoined Mr. Brock ;
* but not long afterwards he was offered,
and accepted, an appointment at the
Glasgow Art Schools. He began, too,
% jMIhB to find that his services were in request,
and that there were at his disposal
many commissions for portrait busts,
and for architectural sculpture. So
with quite justifiable confidence in his
future, he took a studio and set to
work earnestly to realise his ambitions.
"st. george" by f. derwent wood He had no reason to be dissatisfied
298
their way more or less tentatively towards the there for only a brief period. In 1889 he gained
proper expression of their convictions—at an age, a National Scholarship, and began a course of
indeed, when many men have scarcely decided study of modelling under Professor Lanteri in the
what are the convictions by which they propose to Royal College of Art at South Kensington ; and
be guided in their practice. that he made rapid progress under the supervision
He was born at Keswick in 1872 ; but while of this admirable teacher is proved by the fact that
he was still a young child he was taken abroad, and only two years later he was able to take a post as
when he was nine years old he commenced his assistant to Professor Legros at the Slade School,
education at Lausanne. At the age of fifteen he This post he held until 1893, when he became a
went to Karlsruhe, where he remained for two student in the schools of the Royal Academy,
years; and then he returned to England. His His career at the Academy was comparatively
first practical experience as an art worker was short, but it was exceptionally distinguished, and
obtained in his uncle's potteries ; but he worked culminated in 1895 with his success in securing
the gold medal and travelling scholar-
ship for sculpture with a group, half
life size, of Dmdalus and Icarus.
During the period covered by his
Academy studentship he was working
wr^^k Mffl 'n tnc day-time as an assistant to
■ In Brock, and at night in the schools,
so that he was learning the practical
side of his profession under the best
possible guidance, and was laying an
WM 9S . a^». fl admirable foundation of knowledge
■ I .^■■^Jiy^fi^«BBiiBBa^^"«b upon which to build in after years,
fcvi iPEfl To such good use did he put the ex-
perience which he had so far accumu-
lated, that he was able in 1897, soon
■■■BK^KSK'-11 -"^S after the expiration of the term of his
Bfcfo^^LJy travelling scholarship, to gain an award
PP"^: at the Paris Salon for a group, Charity,
K , I j& and so to rank himself, when barely
H I five-and-twenty, among sculptors of
wj/mM' .'JMBvl established repute. By this time the
preparatory stage of his professional
BJfc^J'^H^^HRjl ''fe may fairly be said to have come to
an end; he had acquired something
¥ jfl like mastery over the details of his
W: jM craft, and was well qualified to attempt
independent undertakings of an im-
portant kind.
When he returned to London after
B I ' his stay abroad, he rejoined Mr. Brock ;
* but not long afterwards he was offered,
and accepted, an appointment at the
Glasgow Art Schools. He began, too,
% jMIhB to find that his services were in request,
and that there were at his disposal
many commissions for portrait busts,
and for architectural sculpture. So
with quite justifiable confidence in his
future, he took a studio and set to
work earnestly to realise his ambitions.
"st. george" by f. derwent wood He had no reason to be dissatisfied
298