This autumn, the work of the sculptor Lynn Chadwick (1914–2003), one of the most significant British artists of the twentieth century, has been essential viewing. A special show was on at the Willer Gallery in Kensington, London, and at the Willer’s outpost at Sotheby’s, while a wilder and more dramatic experience may still be found via a journey to Lypiatt Park in Gloucestershire.1

Chadwick’s work and reputation evolved in interesting ways. He began as an architect in London, working as a draftsman at a number of firms until he came across Rodney Thomas’s practice. Thomas’s unique talents as a creative thinker and his deep knowledge of European historical architecture gave Chadwick his essential grounding.

After a break during the Second World War, in which he served as a Royal Navy pilot, Chadwick rejoined Thomas’s practice, where he widened his knowledge, gained confidence, and learned to make use of his mentor’s skills in creating new forms, among them structures similar to early mobiles. He began experimenting with synthetic materials that had become widely used during the war, such as aircraft plywood, balsam, acrylic, and aluminum wire and rods, adapting them for works in specific locations.

These pieces were initially made not as independent works of art but as decorative features at trade and industry fairs. In 1946, Chadwick won a prize in a textile-design competition, and by 1950, with several commissions under his