The John Robinson Collection
punching of a fist in athletic triumph, is a tour de force in elegant simplicity.
I first came across John Robinson’s work nearly 30 years ago when I was asked to auction his wonderful bronze figure of Papageno, from Mozart’s Magic Flute, which had stood for a few years at Glyndebourne. Over the subsequent years we have been lucky enough to have sold quite a few of his pieces and so when, following their mother’s death (John died in 2007), the Robinson family asked Rupert and myself if we could sell some of their father’s sculpture, we were naturally delighted.
In addition to this, John was an accomplished portrait sculptor. His most well-known works are busts of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in her role as Warden of the Cinque Ports and Her Majesty the Queen in her role as Colonel in Chief of The Royal Tank Regiment. Both the plaster originals and bronze castings, lots 40, 41 and 44 are included in the sale.
Little did I realise what a treat was in store in the extensive gardens of their idyllic cottage, Agecroft near Yeovil in Somerset as well as John’s studio, virtually untouched in the 10 years since his death. John enjoyed a remarkably full and varied life, from early on jackarooing and then farming in Australia, to returning to this country with a young family to try his hand at sculpture. His early work, which started as small commissions for his friends, is largely made up of charming, beautiful observed studies of children, a number of which are included in this sale; my undoubted favourite is his three young sons Peter, Mark and Tim squirting each other with a hose, lot 21, capturing their youthful exuberance exactly.
Unlike many sculptors who channel all of their creative energies into their work, John was an accomplished author and produced a lavishly illustrated three volume hardback autobiography entitled From the Beginning Onwards as well as Symbolic Sculpture, Symbolism, Sculptures and Tapestries, A Bradshaw Foundation Report and a CD of rotating images for his symbolic sculptures. The purchase of every lot of John’s sculpture in this sale, will also receive a copy of each of these books/CD. Where applicable and for further detailed explanation and illustrations, the catalogue description of each lot also gives page references to the relevant books which may be viewed next to the catalogue entry on our website. We hope you enjoy the John Robinson experience! James Rylands
Inspired by a trip to Greece with its Olympic tradition, he moved onto athletes, the most impressive and iconic of which is his 5 metre high group of Acrobats, lot 38. This group was certainly instrumental in John being appointed the Official Sculptor for the British Olympic Committee in 1988. Most sculptors have a distinctive style which remains fairly constant throughout their working career. John, however, was a true artistic renaissance prince and his next artistic phase led him in a completely different direction into his Symbolic Sculpture, which formed his Universe series, which explores, often utilising complicated mathematical formulae, humankind’s relationship with the Universe. The bronze abstract piece Elation, lot 52, a casting of which was gifted by the British Olympic Association to the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, representing the
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The buyer of every lot of John’s sculpture will receive a copy of each of the above publications
