David McFall R.A. (1919 - 1988)

Sculptor

Home Best Portrait Sculptor Chronology All Sculpture Royal Academy Exhibits Publications Drawing Painting David McFall Radio Interview Bronzes for sale Help needed Site search Contact us We also buy McFall work

                         1951/1 Boy & Foal

5 feet high

Limestone

For the Festival of Britain (now at Missenden Abbey, Bucks.)

References:

(1) The Evening News 9/2/1951: "Sculptor David McFall at work in his Chelsea studio on a group comprising a child and foal which he is creating for the Festival of Britain.  The work will be placed near the Pavilion of Agriculture."  

(2) West London Press 17/11/1950 front page photo of 3 ton block of stone being delivered from Battersea Wharf. "... commissioned by the Festival authorities, the statue has to be completed by April 1951 at the latest ... when completed it will stand in the British agriculture pavilion at the festival bringing (the sculptor hopes) a human touch to a display that will be largely taken up with the latest developments in farming machinery..."

The Festival of Britain took place in the summer of 1951 and celebrated the nation's recovery after the Second World War. Although it was a national festival, the most important festival site was on the South Bank of the Thames. Planned in 1947, in the austerity years of the Attlee Labour government, the Festival of Britain promised to provide a cultural counterpart to the social benefits of the Welfare State.  

The London County Council and Arts Council commissioned sculpture for

various locations and artists were largely given a free hand in what they

produced.  On the South Bank, sculptors were commissioned to produce

various artworks, mainly sculpture and murals, and included: Siegfried

Charoux, Peter Peri, Georg Ehrlich, Karin Jonzen, Karel Vogel, F E McWilliam,

Henry Moore, David McFall, John Matthews, Eduardo Paolozzi, Richard Huws,

Daphne Hardy, Heinz Henghes,Keith Godwin, Jacob Epstein, Frank Dobson,

Mitzi Cunliffe, Geoffrey Clarke, Lynn Chadwick, Reg Butler, George Fullard,

Ernest Adsetts, Sydney Birnie Stewart and Maurice Lambert.

Work in progress

The Festival site on the South bank of the Thames

All rights reserved