Ronald Moody
Encyclopedia
Ronald Moody was a Jamaica
n born sculptor
, specialising in wood carvings.
Moody was born Ronald Clive Moody in 1900 in Kingston, Jamaica
into a well-off professional family, moving to London
in 1923 to study dentistry at King's College London
. In London, he was inspired by the British Museum
's collection of non-Western art and decided to become a sculptor. Early experiments with clay led Moody to teach himself how to carve. He produced his first carved figure in oak. By the late 1930s, Moody had accumulated an impressive collection of work and had a solo show in Paris, the success of the show encouraged him to move to Paris, where he lived until 1940. In 1938, twelve major sculptures were sent to the Harmon Foundation in the United States to be included in exhibitions at the Baltimore Museum of Art
and the Dallas Museum of Art
.
Among his most famous works from this period was his great female head, Midonz (1937). He also cast the head of his brother Harold Moody
in Bronze in 1946.
Moody's Paris success followed him to London and from 1950 until the early 60s regular London exhibitions brought him a growing presence on the British art scene.
Moody crater
on Mercury
is named after him.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n born sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, specialising in wood carvings.
Moody was born Ronald Clive Moody in 1900 in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
into a well-off professional family, moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1923 to study dentistry at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. In London, he was inspired by the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
's collection of non-Western art and decided to become a sculptor. Early experiments with clay led Moody to teach himself how to carve. He produced his first carved figure in oak. By the late 1930s, Moody had accumulated an impressive collection of work and had a solo show in Paris, the success of the show encouraged him to move to Paris, where he lived until 1940. In 1938, twelve major sculptures were sent to the Harmon Foundation in the United States to be included in exhibitions at the Baltimore Museum of Art
Baltimore Museum of Art
The Baltimore Museum of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, was founded in 1914. Built in the Roman Temple style, the Museum is home to an internationally renowned collection of 19th-century, modern, and contemporary art. Founded in 1914 with a single painting, the BMA today has 90,000 works...
and the Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas Museum of Art
The Dallas Museum of Art is a major art museum located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, USA, along Woodall Rodgers Freeway between St. Paul and Harwood. In 1984, the museum moved from its previous location in Fair Park to the Arts District, Dallas, Texas...
.
Among his most famous works from this period was his great female head, Midonz (1937). He also cast the head of his brother Harold Moody
Harold Moody
Harold Arundel Moody was a physician in London who established the League of Coloured Peoples in 1931 with the support of the Quakers.Moody was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1882, the son of a pharmacist...
in Bronze in 1946.
Moody's Paris success followed him to London and from 1950 until the early 60s regular London exhibitions brought him a growing presence on the British art scene.
Moody crater
Moody (crater)
Moody is an impact crater on Mercury.Moody features a central peak or peak-ring structure and an annulus of dark material on its outer floor. The area inward of the dark ring appears reddish in enhanced color WAC images, indicating the presence of material different in composition from that of...
on Mercury
Mercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
is named after him.