Willi Soukop
Encyclopedia
Willi Soukop, RA
(5 January 1907 - 8 February 1995) was a sculptor, member of the Royal Academy
and early teacher of Elisabeth Frink
.
Wilhelm Joseph Soukop was the son of a Moravian
shoemaker whose horrific experiences in the First World War led to a mental breakdown and his disappearance immediately following the war’s end.
From an early age Soukop had to work in a factory, attending evening classes at the arts and crafts school in Vienna
before managing to get into the Academy of Fine Arts
, Vienna (1928-1934).
In 1934 he met an English woman who invited him to England. He moved to a studio at Dartington Hall
, Devon, and, 1935-45, taught part-time at Dartington Art School and at Blundell's School
(apart from nine months in 1940 when, because of his Austrian citizenship, he was interned in Canada).
Soukop married and moved to London in 1945 he, teaching at Bromley College of Art (1945-6), Guildford College of Art (1945-7) and Chelsea Art College
(1947-72) schools of art.
Soukop was a member of the Faculty of Sculpture at the British School in Rome
, 1952-75, and was Master of Sculpture at the Royal Academy schools, 1969-82.
He exhibited at the Royal Academy
from 1935 onwards; his Owl, shown in 1963, was bought by the Tate Gallery
under the terms of the Chantrey Bequest
. His work was included in the 1949 and 1950 open-air sculpture exhibitions at Battersea Park
, and he had a solo exhibition at the Yehudi Menuhin School
, Cobham, 1979, and a major retrospective at the Belgrave Gallery, 1991.
Soukop was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists
in 1950, made a Fellow
of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1956, Associate of the Royal Academy in 1963 and elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1969.
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
(5 January 1907 - 8 February 1995) was a sculptor, member of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
and early teacher of Elisabeth Frink
Elisabeth Frink
Dame Elisabeth Jean Frink, DBE, CH, RA was an English sculptor and printmaker...
.
Wilhelm Joseph Soukop was the son of a Moravian
Moravians (ethnic group)
Moravians are the modern West Slavic inhabitants of the historical land of Moravia, the easternmost part of the Czech Republic, which includes the Moravian Slovakia. They speak the two main groups of Moravian dialects , the transitional Bohemian-Moravian dialect subgroup and standard Czech...
shoemaker whose horrific experiences in the First World War led to a mental breakdown and his disappearance immediately following the war’s end.
From an early age Soukop had to work in a factory, attending evening classes at the arts and crafts school in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
before managing to get into the Academy of Fine Arts
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna is an institution of higher education in Vienna, Austria.- History :The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna was founded in 1692 as a private academy by the court-painter Peter Strudl, who became the Praefectus Academiae Nostrae. In 1701 he was ennobled as Baron of the Empire...
, Vienna (1928-1934).
In 1934 he met an English woman who invited him to England. He moved to a studio at Dartington Hall
Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts was a specialist arts institution near Totnes, Devon, South West England, it specialized in post-dramatic theatre, music, choreography, Performance Writing and visual performance, focusing on a performative and multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. In addition to this,...
, Devon, and, 1935-45, taught part-time at Dartington Art School and at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
(apart from nine months in 1940 when, because of his Austrian citizenship, he was interned in Canada).
Soukop married and moved to London in 1945 he, teaching at Bromley College of Art (1945-6), Guildford College of Art (1945-7) and Chelsea Art College
Chelsea College of Art and Design
Chelsea College of Art and Design, the erstwhile Chelsea School of Art, is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation...
(1947-72) schools of art.
Soukop was a member of the Faculty of Sculpture at the British School in Rome
British School at Rome
The British School at Rome was established in 1901 and granted a Royal Charter in 1912 as an educational institute in the fields of archaeology, literature, music, and history of Rome and Italy of every period, and for the study of the fine arts and architecture...
, 1952-75, and was Master of Sculpture at the Royal Academy schools, 1969-82.
He exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
from 1935 onwards; his Owl, shown in 1963, was bought by the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
under the terms of the Chantrey Bequest
Francis Legatt Chantrey
Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey was an English sculptor of the Georgian era. He left the Chantrey Bequest or Chantrey Fund for the purchase of works of art for the nation, which was available from 1878 after the death of his widow.-Life:Francis Leggatt Chantrey was born at Norton near Sheffield ,...
. His work was included in the 1949 and 1950 open-air sculpture exhibitions at Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
, and he had a solo exhibition at the Yehudi Menuhin School
Yehudi Menuhin School
The Yehudi Menuhin School is a specialist music school in Surrey, England. It was founded in 1963 by the violinist Yehudi Menuhin.The School also gives pupils the best musical education any specialist schools can with a number of internationally main teachers, Simon Fischer , Natalya Boyarskaya ,...
, Cobham, 1979, and a major retrospective at the Belgrave Gallery, 1991.
Soukop was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists
Royal Society of British Artists
The Royal Society of British Artists is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy.-History:...
in 1950, made a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1956, Associate of the Royal Academy in 1963 and elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1969.
Sources
- Buckman, D., 1998
- Nairne, S. and Serota, N. (eds), 1981
- Spalding, F., 1990
- Strachan, W.J., 1984
- Obituary, The Times, 9 February 1995