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Rayner Hoff

The Life of a Sculptor
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Rayner Hoff by Deborah Beck is the first biography of one of Australia's most gifted and controversial public sculptors. Famed for his work on Sydney's Anzac Memorial, including the powerful centrepiece Sacrifice, Hoff's story spans his move from London to Australia in the 1920s, his leadership at the National Art School, and his role in launching an Australian sculpture renaissance. The book explores his artistic achievements, including the original Holden lion badge design and his interactions with notable cultural figures of the time, offering a rich portrait of his enduring influence.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal to readers interested in Australian art history, sculpture, and cultural biographies, as well as those keen on the interwar period's artistic movements and the development of national identity through public art.

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In the 1920s and 1930s, Rayner Hoff was the most gifted and controversial public sculptor in Australia, best known for the sculptures and friezes that adorn Sydney's Anzac Memorial, including Sacrifice at its centre.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In the 1920s and 1930s, Rayner Hoff was the most gifted and controversial public sculptor in Australia, best known for the sculptures and friezes that adorn Sydney's Anzac Memorial, including Sacrifice at its centre.

After moving from London in the early 1920s, Hoff taught at and eventually ran the National Art School. As well as completing the Anzac Memorial sculptures—which generated uproar when the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney opposed two further works planned for the Memorial—he also designed the original Holden lion badge, won the Wynne Prize in 1927, and made firm friends with luminaries like Norman Lindsay, Hugh McCrae, and Mary Gilmore. 

This biography tells the story of Hoff's life and work for the first time, and how he spearheaded an Australian sculpture renaissance and left a mark that is still keenly felt today.

Listen to an interview with Deborah Beck on ABC RN: Late Night Live talking about Rayner Hoff

Read the feature on the Rayner Hoff exhibition in the SMH Spectrum.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781742235325

Publisher: NewSouth Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 March 2017

Country: Australia

Imprint: NewSouth Publishing

Illustration: 115 illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 185.0mm

Height: 246.0mm

Weight: 885g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Deborah Beck is a historian, writer and artist who has exhibited her work widely. She is currently a lecturer and archivist at the National Art School. She is the author of Hope in Hell: A History of Darlinghurst Gaol and the National Art School, and her second book Set in Stone: The Cell Block Theatre won a NSW Premier's History Award in 2012.

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