Dogs, birds, horses and other animals were a staple element of Frink?s sculpture. In the 1950s they were often presented as fierce, predatory creatures, but her later animal sculpture is more benign in feel. This drawing is probably based on one of Frink?s own sculptures of a dog.
Elisabeth Frink (English, 1930 - 1993)
Elisabeth Frink?s artistic career was launched at the age of twenty-two with her first solo exhibition. Linked with the group of post-war British sculptors that included Reg Butler and Eduardo Paolozzi, she is perhaps best known for her expressionistic animal figures and popular public sculpture commissions. Born in Suffolk, Frink studied in Guildford and at the Chelsea School of Art. Her childhood in the countryside influenced a preference for naturalistic subjects, particularly birds, dogs and horses as well as male figures. She also lived near an RAF air base during the Second World War, which sparked a life-long fascination with flight. Themes of aggression and masculinity are explored in Frink?s sculptures and prints.
