John Rattenbury Skeaping RA
Other names: Jack
Born 9 June 1901
Died 5 March 1980
Active: 1914 - 1979
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, carver, modeller
Born South Woodford, Essex. He was the son of Kenneth Mathieson Skeaping (1857-1946) a lithographic artist, illustrator and painter and his grandfather was Joseph Nairn Skeaping (1829-1902) a master wood carver from Liverpool. Several of his aunts and uncles were also artistic, John Skeaping (1859-1940) was an art master and then head master of the art school in St. Helens. He was married to Emily Jane, who was also an artist and the author of several 'How To' books on handicrafts. Elizabeth Jane Skeaping Kaufman (born c.1872) was a painter and art teacher and Nellie Skeaping (born c.1879) was a talented pianist.
John Rattenbury was educated at home until he began his art studies when he was thirteen. In 1914 he studied sculpture at Blackheath School of Art, London, then from 1915 to 1917 attended the school of art at Goldsmiths' College, followed by the Central School of Arts and Crafts 1917–19, and the Royal Academy Schools 1919–20. In 1920 he won the Royal Academy gold medal and travelling scholarship, which enabled him to visit Rome, Siena, and Florence. Four years later he won the British School at Rome scholarship in sculpture. During his study in Rome he married Barbara Hepworth on 13 May 1925 in Florence, they were separated in 1931 and divorced in 1934.
Skeaping taught sculpture at the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1931-40, then at the Royal College of Art from 1948, and was Professor of Sculpture between 1953-59. He published a number of educational books, 'Animal Drawing', 1936; 'How to Draw Horses', 1941; 'How to Draw Dogs', 1961 as well as other writings 'The Big Tree of Mexico' 1952, and his autobiography, 'Drawn from Life', 1977.
During the 1930s and 1940s Skeaping made stone carvings and modelled figures and animals, in the 1960s and 1970s he specialised in equine portraits. His first solo exhibition was held at Alex Reid and Lefevre Gallery, Glasgow in 1928 which was followed by many other shows including regular showing at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1922; Sculpture in the Home, Arts Council 1946; LCC 1948, 51, 57, 60. During the Second World War he served in the intelligence corps as an official war artist and spent a short spell with the SAS. He travelled in Mexico in 1949-50 and left Britain in 1959 to live in the Camargue. Skeaping was elected an A.R.A. in 1950, R.A. in 1959 and Senior RA in 1977.
Collections include: Tate Gallery; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; British Museum, London; Windsor Castle Royal Collection; Bradford City Art Gallery.
Further reading: M. Sorrell, ‘The Mexican Terracottas of John Skeaping’, in Studio, March 1952, Vol. 143, No. 708, pp. 72-75.
J. Skeaping, Drawn from Life, An Autobiography, (London: Collins,1977).
P. Mellon, (intro.), John Skeaping R.A., 10 May – 25 May 1979, (exh. cat.).
Carving Mountains; Modern Stone Sculpture 1907-1937, Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge, 1998, (exh. cat.).
Biography from Whiteley (2001), Collins (2004) and information gathered by the Mapping Sculpture project.
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Fish
1929 - 1930
Locations
Address Cliftonville Warren Road Bexleyheath England | View on map
1922 (Circa)
Address 7 The Mall Studios Parkhill Road London England | View on map
1927 - 1932
Address 24 St Ann's Terrace St. John's Wood London England | View on map
1927
Address Stanfield House Prince Arthur Road London England | View on map
1936 (Presumed)
Address Pugglestone near Chagford England | View on map
1947 (Circa) - 1963 (Circa)
Also sometimes gave Royal College of Art as his address in this period
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at 10th Exhibition of the Seven and Five Society (Leicester Galleries), 1931
'Lynx'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1922 - 1970
Exhibited 18 times (before 1951 exhibited in 1922, 1947, 1948 and 1951), showed five works before 1951 then usually about five each year thereafter
Exhibited at The Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition, 1826-
1929 - 1954
Exhibited at the annual exhibition 3 times: 1929 (1 work), 1934 (1 work) and 1954 (1 work)
Exhibited at Exhibition of Paintings by the Lady Helena Gleichen and Sculpture by O'Connor Barrett, Maurice Lambert, Mrs R. M. Milward and J. R. Skeaping (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), 1936
28 March 1936 - 18 April 1936
Exhibited 7 works in limestone, terracotta, sandstone and wood (pp. 7, 87-93).
Participant in Animals in Art (Art Workers Guild), 1949
Gave demonstration.
Speaker at The Tools and Technique of the Greek Sculptors (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Won prize The British School at Rome Scholarship in Sculpture
1924
Skeaping was accompanied by his wife, Barbara Hepworth.
Institutional and Business Connections
Elected ARA Royal Academy of Arts
21 April 1950 - 8 December 1959
Elected RA in 1959.
Elected RA Royal Academy of Arts
8 December 1959 - 1 January 1977
Then became Senior RA until his death in 1980.
Employed at Wedgwood (Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd.)
1926 (Circa)
Produced a number of animal figures for Wedgwood. See Wedgwood Photograph Albums 'Queensware Record' which includes photographs of the following works all of which are undated: 'Duiker' (Lying), 3460',
'Kangaroo', 2469' [summary].
See also Reilly and Savage, 'The Dictionary of Wedgwood' (1980), p. 318, who record that the first of numerous animal figures was produced in 1926.
See the Wedgwood Museum Digital Archive for a large number of photographs of animal figures produced by Skeaping beginning in 1926. This archive also includes photographs of pattern and shape books showing Skeaping's designs for the animal figures: for example, Wedgwood Shape Book No. 3 (probably began in 1913), pp. 64-65, records six designs by Skeaping: 'Duiker', 'Tiger', 'Falow Deer', 'Polar Bear', 'Duiker Lying', all of the shapes are entitled 'Model by Skeaping, Oct 1927' [database reference no. WSBC20-3/33]. The archive also includes a photograph of a letter from Speaking to Felton Wreford dated 2 Feb. 1927 in which he discusses sending photographs for modelling animals to 'Major Wedgwood' [reference no. MUSGRAPH50].
Professor of sculpture at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1953
See Reilly and Savage, 'The Dictionary of Wedgwood' (1980), p. 318.
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
14 December 1920 - December 1925
See Popp and Valentine, 'Royal Academy of Arts Directory of Membership', (1996), p. 109.
Teacher of modeling at Central School of Arts and Crafts
September 1931 - June 1940
Listed as teacher of day classes in general modelling, modelling from life for design and carving in wood, ivory and stone in the School of Painted and Sculptured Architectural Decoration. Last listed in the 1939-1940 prospectus.
Teacher of modeling at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1948 - 1953
First listed as a tutor in the School of Sculpture in the College's 1948-1949 prospectus. Skeaping is still listed as a tutor in 1951-1952.
H. Cunliffe-Charlesworth notes that Skeaping worked in Mexico in 1949-1950 before returning to his post at the College in 1951. He was appointed Professor of Sculpture in 1953. See 'The Royal College of Art' PhD thesis,(1991), vol. 3, appendix C, p. 591. No source is given.
Personal and Professional Connections
Granddaughter/grandson/grandchild of Joseph Nairn Skeaping
Nominated by William Reid Dick
11 February 1936
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominated by Gilbert Ledward
11 February 1936 - March 1943
Two nominations for Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], in 1936 and 1943.
Nominated by William McMillan
11 February 1936
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominated by Alfred Turner
11 February 1936
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominated by Charles Thomas Wheeler
11 February 1936 - March 1943
Two nominations for Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], in 1936 and 1943.
Nominated by Henry George Rushbury
11 February 1936 - March 1943
Two nominations for Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], in 1936 and 1943.
Nominated by Edward Brantwood Maufe
1940
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominated by Arnold Mason
1940
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominated by Thomas Cantrell Dugdale
9 July 1943
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Nominated by Edward Alexander Wadsworth
9 July 1943
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA].
Wife/husband/spouse to (Jocelyn) Barbara Hepworth
13 May 1925 - 1933
Sources
Catalogue of the 10th Exhibition of the Seven and Five Society
1931
p.12.
Directory of sculptors working and exhibiting in Britain in the 1950s, by Gillian Whiteley
2001
p. 30
London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Time-Table of the Session 1931-1932
September 1931 (Presumed)
Unpaged timetable.
London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Time-Table of the Session 1934-1935
September 1934 (Presumed)
Unpaged timetable.
London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. Prospectus and Time-Table of the Session, 1939-1940
September 1939 (Presumed)
Unpaged timetable.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
Judith Collins, ‘Skeaping, John Rattenbury (1901–1980)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2009 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/54376, accessed 10 July 2009]
Prospectus, Royal College of Art, 1948-1949 Royal College of Art
1948
Unpaged staff list.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1927-1938
1938
p.225.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, c.1939-c.1961
1961 (Circa)
p.86.
Royal College of Art Calendar, 1951-1952 Royal College of Art
1951
p. 8.
The British School at Rome: one hundred years
2001
p. 210
The Dictionary of Wedgwood
1980
p. 318.
The fifty-third annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1937
1937
p.13.
The Royal College of Art: Its Influences on Education, Art and Design 1900-1950, 1991 Royal College of Art
August 1991
p. 591.
The Sculpture of John Skeaping
2011
The sixty-sixth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1950
1950
p.9.
The Wedgwood Museum Digital Archive
See various photographs of works, illustrated designs, advertising material, letters and other sources in this archive for Skeaping from c. 1926 onwards.
Wedgwood Photograph Albums 'Queensware Record', c. 1940-1950
Unpaged. This album contains photographs of a number of animal figures by Skeaping. The works are labelled with artists name, title and a number.
Wedgwood Photograph Albums, c. 1940-1950 Wedgwood Museum and Archive Collection
Unpaged. A number of Skeaping's animal figures produced for Wedgwood probably in the 1940s and 1950s are photographed in this ablum. The works are not dated do not carry the artist's name, however, they are known to be by Skeaping. The works are labelled with the title, number of the design or shape, and colour. For example, 'Duiker (Lying) 3460 shape, Moostone. Also done in Cream Colour Body, Celadon Body or Cane Body' [summary].
Citing this record
'John Rattenbury Skeaping 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_1214405763, accessed 24 Sep 2023]
