Francis Shurrock
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Francis Aubrey Shurrock A.R.C.A. (1887–1977) was a British born sculptor who became an influential teacher in New Zealand. He was born in
Warrington Warrington () is an industrial town in the Borough of Warrington, borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. It is east o ...
,
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
,
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
on 5 August 1887. He studied under
Édouard Lantéri Édouard Lantéri (31 October 1848 – 22 December 1917) was a French-born British sculptor and medallist whose romantic French style of sculpting was seen as influential among exponents of New Sculpture. His name is also frequently spelled ...
at the
Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...
, London from 1909 to 1913.


Early life

Shurrock was born on 5 August 1887 in
Warrington Warrington () is an industrial town in the Borough of Warrington, borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. It is east o ...
, Lancashire, England to Aubrey Hilsdon Shurrock and Clementina Leticia Handley. He was the fifth child out of six but unfortunately only three of his siblings survived to adulthood. Francis Shurrock attended Tarvin village grammar school which his father was the headmaster. He was described as a natural athlete and was involved in sport growing up. He then studied at County School, Chester until 1904 and in 1904 he was appointed pupil teacher at the Chester School of Art and studied there full-time by 1907. He excelled at drawing, and this can be noted as the early beginnings of his prosperous artistic career.


Training and career

In 1909 Shurrock was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London where he was awarded the A.R.C.A. (Associate of the Royal College of Art) in modelling in 1912. He graduated with a full Diploma the following year. While still a student at the Royal College his sculpture ''Peter'' was praised by
Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (; ; 12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a u ...
, a friend of Shurrock’s teacher Edouard Lanteri. Lanteri was considered an extremely talented and inspirational artist and educator and Shurrock admired how Lanteri did not want to create clones of himself, instead to inspire individuals to recognise their own talents and exceed in their own individual ways and artistic styles. At the Royal College of Art, Shurrock learnt alongside a multitude of notable British artists such as Charles Sargeant Jagger, Charles Wheeler, Leon Underwood, Harold Brownsword, William McMillan, Gilbert Ledward and Harold Youngman. Many of these fellow students would later provide inspiration and friendship in later years when Shurrock moved to New Zealand. Whilst studying at the Royal College of Art, Shurrock produced the work ‘Peter’, a bronze cast made in 1913 which remarkably received praise from sculptor Auguste Rodin who was a friend of his teacher Lanteri. ‘Peter’ is one of many human figure sculptures Shurrock created throughout his lifetime, many of which are sculpted from drawings of his close family and friends. These sculptures were often commended for their remarkable realism and similarity to that of the style of the great sculptors of the Renaissance. After leaving art school Shurrock took a position teaching sculpture at King Edward VII School of Art in Newcastle upon Tyne but at the onset of World War I he joined the West Yorkshire Regiment. He was wounded, gassed and early in 1918 taken prisoner by the Germans. From 1919 to 1923 Shurrock headed the School of Science and Art at Weston-super-Mare. This School had been established in 1893 in response to the Government-led reform to ‘promote qualifications that would create skilled technicians and designers to support Great Britain's industrial dominance’.


Shurrock in New Zealand

At the end of 1923 Shurrock set off for
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
, New Zealand arriving in January 1924. He was part of the Department of Education’s La Trobe Scheme, an effort by the New Zealand Government to attract art teachers (including Robert Field, William Allen,
Roland Hipkins Roland Hipkins (1894–1951) was an English artist who worked extensively in New Zealand between 1922 and 1951. He is especially noted for his work done in the wake of the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake. Works by Hipkins are held by the Hawkes Bay ...
and Christopher Perkins) from overseas to ‘foster professionalism in the training of artists’. Shurrock took up the position of modelling and art craft master at the
Canterbury College School of Art The Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury, located in the Ilam suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, was founded in 1882 as the Canterbury College School of Art. The school became a full department of the university in the ...
and went on to teach there for the next 25 years. The first years of teaching must have come as quite a shock to Shurrock as part of his teaching programme included classes with 11 and 12 year old children who had often sent to do art to punish bad behaviour. Art historian Michael Dunn described The Canterbury College School of Art of that time as being, "more like a secondary school than an English art school." But over the years the College transformed into a more typical art school and Shurrock's students would include painters Bill Sutton,
Rita Angus Henrietta Catherine Angus (12 March 1908 – 25 January 1970), known as Rita Cook early in her career, was a New Zealand painter who, alongside Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston, is regarded as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century Ne ...
and Tosswill Woollaston along with Molly Macalister,
Alison Duff Alison Stirling Duff (married name Salter, 7 July 1914 – 19 March 2000) was a New Zealand sculptor, potter and teacher. Family Born in Invercargill in 1914, she was the daughter of Jessie Barclay and Oliver Duff, writer and foundation editor o ...
and Jim Allen who all became practising sculptors. In 1925 November Shurrock married Elizabeth Davidson Hilson and they remained together until her death in 1972. During his time at the art school Shurrock’s interest in
Morris dance Morris dancing is a form of English folklore, English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers in costume, usually wearing bell pads on their shins, their shoes or both. A ban ...
spread among other teachers. Alongside Florence Akins and
Leo Bensemann Leo Vernon Bensemann Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, OBE (1 May 1912 – 2 January 1986) was a New Zealand artist, printer, Typography, typographer, publisher and editor. Early history Bensemenn was born in Tākaka, ...
, Shurrock performed publicly and was President of the Christchurch Folk Dance Society.  One of his students Juliet Peter recalled the sound of the team practising in the art school modelling room. Shurrock was also a regular commentator on art and social issues and a contributor to the magazines ''Tomorrow'' and ''Art in New Zealand''.


Style and Subject

Shurrock was a prolific sculptor, working at a time when painting was only really considered the acceptable art-form. This was a damaging attitude that continued into the 1950s where Shurrock and his sculpture-based students were considered as craftsmen, rather than artists. He faced difficulties to revive his artistic career which had been put on pause due to the war and educational efforts. Commission to begin and display works was extremely difficult and could only be possible under the agreement from the Council of Canterbury College.


Exhibitions

Although he was a full-time teacher Shurrock was also committed to his own work. He was a regular exhibitor of sculpture, painting, watercolours and prints, particularly in the 1930s, when he showed with the Canterbury and Otago Art Societies,
The Group The Group may refer to: Film and television * ''The Group'' (Australian TV series), 1971 situation comedy produced by Cash Harmon Television for ATN7 * ''The Group'' (Canadian TV series), 1968–70 music variety on CBC Television * ''The Group ...
in Christchurch and on a number of occasions at the
Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...
in London. Selected exhibitions include: 1927 ''Annual Exhibition Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society''. Shurrock’s exhibition of his sculpture ''The Gymnast'' was received with acclaim by local critics. “How splendid it would be if the hall could be dotted with figures such as Mr Shurrock’s  Gymnast! His exhibits last year were life size, strong pieces of work, and one sees that when he works on a small scale there is as much work and as much strength. This little figure is alive with tense vigour. The modelling is faultless, and from whatever position one views it the pose is sheer joy.” The sculpture was purchased for the Dunedin Public Art Gallery by a group of art enthusiasts. 1930s The Group. Shurrock contributed to four exhibitions (1931 32, 33, 34). In 1932 his bust of artist Christopher Perkins was described as, ‘a vigorous and masterly impression of an extraordinary artist and man. The head and torso are freely and broadly modelled, giving a cast which very ably combines masculinity with sensitiveness.’ In the other shows Shurrock exhibited lino cuts, watercolours and woodblock prints. 1934 ''Annual Academy of Arts Exhibition''. Shurrock exhibited woodblock prints. ‘Mr Francis Shurrock in his two colour-block prints, succeeds in giving an effect of soft colour, without any inaccuracy in the register of any of the numerous blocks.’ 1934 and 1939 ''Royal Academy of Arts Exhibition'', London. His inclusion in the 1934 exhibition had surprised Shurrock. He had sent a plaster cast bust of Mr Edward Armstrong, architect of the
Robert McDougall Art Gallery The Robert McDougall Art Gallery is a heritage building in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was designed by Edward Armstrong and it opened in 1932. It is a Category I heritage building listed with Heritage New Zealand and is located within the Chr ...
, to England for casting and his British agent had forwarded the bronze to the Royal Academy of Arts who had accepted it for exhibition. The 1939 exhibition included another of Shurrock’s cast bronze heads. 1940 ''New Zealand Art: A Centennial Exhibition'' Wellington. Shurrock had five works selected including the Commemorative panel for the Robert McDougall Art Gallery and his bronze bust of Christopher Perkins that was illustrated in the catalogue. 2000 ''Francis Shurrock: Shaping New Zealand Sculpture'' Robert McDougall Art Gallery. Curator Mark Stocker commented on this exhibition’s timing, ‘In 1932, Shurrock published an article entitled ''McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch'' in Art in New Zealand, which welcomed, described and illustrated the 'new gallery' as it then was. Now, in 2000–1, Shurrock's work is among the very last to be exhibited in the McDougall before its closure and replacement by the new art gallery.’ 2025 ''Dear Shurrie: Francis Shurrock and his Contemporaries'' Christchurch Art Gallery. Curated by Peter Vangioni and Felicity Milburn.


Commissioned works


Massey Memorial

In 1927 Shurrock was commissioned to create a carved marble relief as a portrait medallion of William Massey (New Zealand Prime Minister from 1912-1925) for a large memorial to be constructed on Point Halswell in Wellington. Shurrock was required to work from photographs as he would years later with his statue of James Fitzgerald. The portrait was intended to be, ‘impressively detached from all inscriptions….in high relief, contrasting with other carvings proposed to be cut on the piers on either side of it.’ In 1930 William Allen, one of Shurrock’s colleagues at the Christchurch College of Art, painted him working on the Massey carving.


James Edward Fitzgerald statue

Shurrock was commissioned in 1934 by local philanthropist Richard. E. Green to make a statue of James Edward Fitzgerald, one of Canterbury’s leading pioneers. The proposed work was offered to the city of Christchurch. It was initially accepted but then the City Council rejected the gift following controversy over the donor. The work was then sold to the Christchurch Beautifying Association who arranged to have it cast in bronze in Britain. In August 1936 the 2.6 meter bronze sculpture arrived in Christchurch and in February 1936 was finally erected on the south end of Rolleston Avenue, facing Cashel Street.


Robert McDougall plaque

1933 After initial reservations by its subject art patron and philanthropist Robert McDougall, Shurrock’s relief bronze plaque of him was mounted in the foyer of the McDougall Art Gallery.


Signal Hill Memorial

Shurrock was invited to make two large sculptures to sit on either side of the central architectural form of the Centennial Memorial on Signal Hill in Dunedin. In April 1950 Shurrock presented models of the two sculptures, one of a woman spinning, known as ''The Thread of Life'' and the other titled ''History'' showing an old man holding a closed book representing the end of the century. To help scale the work from models to full-sized sculptures, Shurrock was joined by former student Fred Staub who is usually given joint credit with Shurrock for the work. TA plaque on the memorial records that the two figures were cast in London and installed in 1957.


The decimal coin controversy

In the mid-1960s Shurrock was invited by the Coinage Design Advisory Committee to submit designs for New Zealand's new decimal coins that were to be issued on 10 July 1967. In February 1966, the designs of the six coins were leaked to a newspaper. Shurrock’s designs had already met with a negative response from the
Royal Mint The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom's official maker of British coins. It is currently located in Llantrisant, Wales, where it moved in 1968. Operating under the legal name The Royal Mint Limited, it is a limited company that is wholly ow ...
and now the general public had an opportunity to examine drawings Shurrock had made for his coin designs, including a rugby player for the twenty cent piece. The public response was immediate and negative. The Government then rejected all of Shurrock’s designs save one: Shurrock’s concept of a stylised Māori wheku (a carved representation of a human face) for the 10 cent piece was reworked by James Berry for the final coin that remains in use. Francis Shurrock died 7 October 1977 in Christchurch, New Zealand.


Collections

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TamakiTe Papa Te Papa TongarewaChristchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Whaiwhetu


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shurrock, Francis Aubrey 1887 births 1977 deaths New Zealand art educators English emigrants to New Zealand 20th-century New Zealand sculptors Artists from Warrington 20th-century New Zealand educators