David McFall RA

Born 21 December 1919
Died 18 September 1988

Active: 1946 - 1963

Country of birth: Scotland

Country of death: England

Sculptor, medallist, letter cutter

Born Glasgow. He was the son of David McFall (1891-1975), a postman. Studied at Birmingham Junior School of Arts and Crafts 1931-34; Birmingham Central School of Arts 1934 (or5)-39 under Charles Thomas; Royal College of Art 1940-41; and City & Guilds of London Art School, Kennington 1941-45 (when the RCA was evacuated to the Lake District). Worked mainly in stone and bronze. In 1939 McFall worked as an assistant to Eric Gill and then between 1944-c1956-58 worked for Epstein. During this time he assisted Epstein on the TUC memorial. McFall also carved carved the inscription for Epstein's statue of Jan Smutts unveiled in Parliament Square and Margaret Dunlop Epstein's headstone in Highgate Cemetery.

From about 1957 McFall worked independently chiefly as a portrait sculptor and over a lengthy career attracted many distinguished sitters. His work was acknowledged in 1972 when he was awarded the Jean Masson Davidson International Award for Distinction in Portrait Sculpture by the Royal Society of British Portrait Sculptors. McFall also worked as a medallist designing, for example the Freedom Medals for the Royal Mint in 1973.

In addition to his portrait work, McFall executed a large number of public sculptures. His principal commissions include: statues of St Bride and St Paul, St Bride's Church, Fleet Street London (1957); Pocahontas, Red Lion Square, London (1958); Sir Winston Churchill, bronze statue, Woodford Green (1959); Ralph Vaughan Williams, bronze relief, Leith Hill Festival Memorial Committee (1961); Lord Balfour, limestone statue, Palace of Westminster, London (1962); Crucifixion, Portland stone statue, Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Thames Ditton (1966); Shying Horse, fiberglass relief, Blackhorse Station, Victoria Line, London Transport (1968); The Golden Gazelle, Abu Dhabi, Trucial States (1968); Stone friezes for the extension to the Institute of Chartered Accountants building, London, architect William Whitfield (1969); Oedipus and Jocasta, Portland stone group, West Norwood Library, London (1972); Memorial to Sir Gerald Kelly, St Paul's Cathedral Crypt, London (1973); Son of Man, bronze statue of Christ, Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury (1988).

Between 1956-75 he taught sculpture at City and Guilds School of Art, Kennington and became head of this department. In 1955 he was elected A.R.A. and was made a full R.A. in 1963. McFall was a member of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee (1969-71). He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1943 and also showed work in Sculpture in the Home, Arts Council 1946; SB 1951; LCC 1957. McFall's work is represented in the Tate, National Portrait Gallery and Royal Academy, London.

This entry is based on a biography from Whiteley (2001) and information made available by McFall's family online at: http://www.davidmcfall.co.uk/index.html (accessed 4 November 2012).

Citing this record

'David McFall RA', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1213094235, accessed 05 Jun 2023]