Mr. Frank Lynch—Sculptor.

Progress, Volume XVII, Issue 4, 1 December 1921, Page 82

Mr. Frank Lynch— Sculptor.

We are pleased to be able to reproduce in this issue some work by Mr. Frank Lynch, of Auckland. Mr. Lynch was born in Melbourne some 25 years ago, and. had his first lessons in sculpture from Mr. Schmidt of that city, at the age of 14. Mr. Schmidt taught him a wholesome respect for the great art of Greece, and the masters of the Renaissance, and although he himself confesses he

would rather at that age have been out fishing for barracoota, that respect has grown into deep reverence. Later on Mr. Lynch attended the Melbourne Art School and there studied drawing and modelling from the antique. The family then left for New Zealand, taking up their residence in Auckland. When the war broke Mr. Lynch went away, serving through Egypt, Gallipoli and France. On every opportunity when clay was about, he used to- model small heads of his comrades. He found there was a lot to be learned

from some of the Egyptian sculpture with its wonderful simplicity and bigness of form. After serving two years in France Mr. Lynch was sent to England, where he made the most ol his chance, studying whenever he could see the great masterpieces in the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museums. It was in London that he made the acquaintance of Mr. Benjamine Clemens, of the Royal College of Art, South Kensington, and it was through his kind advice and direction that he was able to make great headway in his art. He also availed himself of the opportunity of studying anatomy at Guy's and drawing at the London Polytechnic. Mr. Lynch, since nis arrival back in New Zealand, has settled in Totara Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, and is at present executing for the Masterton War Memorial Committee a seven-foot bronze statue of a New Zealand soldier. As shown in photo, it is unfinished. A rifle will be slung over the right shoulder, the sling passing through the right hand. The soldier is symbolical of the evacuation of Gallipoli : " As he leaves his unfinished job, he takes a last look back at the heights, and doffs his hat to the memory of his dead ' cobbers.' " The big portrait bust is of the New Zealand painter, Mr. Frank McCracken, who posed for Mr. Lynch prior to leaving for Edinburgh, where he is continuing his art career. The other bust is a portrait of the sculptor's father. _ _