John Rattenbury Skeaping RA (1901-1980) - Medici Print Antelope

Description

A 20th century print of an original drawing by John Skeaping. Skeaping was known for his anatomically interesting portraits of wild and domestic animals, and this example depicts an antelope in partial profile. On thick card. Signed.

Condition

There is even foxing across the substrate. There is also a small 1cm tear to the right edge, as shown.

Size

34.1 x 27cm (13.4" x 10.6")
Sheet: 36.5 x 29.5cm (14.4" x 11.6")

Artist Biography

John Rattenbury Skeaping (1901-1980) was a sculptor and painter of animals, particularly horses. Born in South Woodford, Essex, son of the painter Kenneth Matheison Skeaping, John Skeaping studied at Blackheath School of Art at the age of thirteen then at Goldsmiths' College, 1915-17, at the Central School of Arts & Crafts, 1917-19, and the RA Schools, 1919-20. At the Royal Academy Schools, Skeaping was awarded a Gold Medal and a Travelling Scholarship. This he took in Italy returning to exhibit at the RA in 1922. He won the Prix de Rome in 1924 and returning to Italy was soon followed there by Barbara Hepworth, whom he married in Florence in 1925. They returned to England together at the end of 1926 and Skeaping's commissions for Wedgwood and Aveling Porter financed their first Studio Exhibition in 1927.

In 1928, they held two joint exhibitions in London and in Glasgow at Alex Reid & Lefevre that was to establish them in the vanguard of British sculpture. They both showed at the Claridge Gallery, Sydney Burney Gallery and the Venice Biennale amongst many other venues. To great acclaim, they also held a joint show at Arthur Tooth & Sons in 1930. However, their marriage was not to last and after a separation in 1931, they divorced in 1933. Skeaping became a member of the London Group, 1928 and the 7 & 5 Society in 1932. He was appointed Official War Artist, 1940-45 and lived and worked in Mexico, 1949-50. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1950 and a full member in 1960. Skeaping held the post of Professor of Sculpture 1953–59 at the Royal College of Art and, following his retirement he lived in the Camargue in the South of France.

Skeaping undertook many commissions, including life-size portraits of famous race horses that included Hyperion and Brigadier Gerard. Latterly he frequently exhibited his paintings, drawings and bronzes at Ackermann of London and in Paris, South Africa and in the USA. Examples of his work are in the collections of the British Museum, British Sporting Art Trust, Hepworth Wakefield, Kettle's Yard, National Museums Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent Art Gallery and the Tate Gallery.