Width: 11 inches
Provenance
The Artist's Family
Note: Edward Bainbridge Copnall took up stone carving in 1926, having been encouraged by his close friend Glyn Philpot and fellow sculptor Eric Kennington. Although largely self-taught, through Kennington's instruction he
formulated a purist approach that 'stone should look like stone and nothing else', often incorporating and accommodating stone's cracks, blemishes, and faults within the conception and development of each composition. On committing to direct carving as his chosen medium a friend commissioned him by way of purchasing a large block of Portland stone to carve a number of pieces.
The earliest of these was 'Evolution'.
The carving reproduced here is from that same block of stone. The photo of Copnall carving it was taken by his father.