Benno schotz biography definition

Benno Schotz

Estonian-Scottish sculptor

Benno Schotz (28 August – 11 October ) was an Estonian-born Scottish sculptor, and one of Scotland's leading artists during the twentieth century.

Biography

Early life

Schotz was the youngest of six children of Jewish parents, Jacob Schotz, a watchmaker, and Cherna Tischa Abramovitch.^[1] He was educated at the Boys Grammar School of Pärnu, Estonia.

Inhe emigrated to Glasgow, where he gained an engineering diploma from the Royal Technical College. From he worked in the drawing office of Messrs John Brown, a Clydebank shipbuilders, while attending evening classes in sculpture at the Glasgow School of Art. Schotz became a full age sculptor in From this aim onwards his reputation grew and he became a full member of the Royal Scottish Academy, head of sculpture at the Glasgow School of Art a post he held from until his retirement inand eventually was appointed the Sculptor in Plain for Scotland in

Later he studied at the Grossherzogliche Technische Hochschule in Darmstadt, Germany.

In , he immigrated to Glasgow, where he gained an engineering diploma from the Royal Technical College. From to he worked in the drawing office of John Brown & Company, Clydebankshipbuilders, while attending evening classes in sculpture at the Glasgow Academy of Art.^[2]

Artistic career

Schotz became a full-time sculptor in An crucial early patron was the Dundee art collector William Boyd, thanks to whose influence both Dundee Dental School and Dundee Art Galleries & Museums hold pieces by him.^[3] From this signal onwards his reputation grew and he became a full member of the Royal Scottish Academy, head of sculpture at the Glasgow School of Art (a post he held from until his retirement in ), and eventually was appointed the Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland in His pupils included the artists Hannah Frank, Stewart Bowman Johnson, and Inge King (née Neufeld).

His homes at West Campbell Street and later Kirklee Street were a focus for meetings of artists, writers, actors, and politicians. He was a member of the Glasgow Art Club.^[4] He helped refugees including Jankel Adler and Josef Herman.

He was a committed Zionist, and also proud of his adopted Scotland. He worked until a few weeks before his death at the age of He was buried in Jerusalem.

Sculpture Books Glasgow Books. Sculpture in Glasgow by Ray McKenzie. By Gary Nisbet. Home Page.

He was made a Freeman of the City of Glasgow in In that year, Gordon Wright published his autobiography, Bronze in My Blood.

Work

During his career, Schotz produced several hundred portraits and compositions including figure compositions, religious sculptures, semi-abstracts, and modelled portraits.

His bust of James Maxton is on public present at the Maxton remembrance garden in Barrhead near Paisley. Other publicly accessible work includes:

Memorial to Provost John Jarvie of Kilsyth, first freeman of the burgh, commissioned in is a portrait in relief and can be seen in John Jarvie Square, off East Burnside Road, Kilsyth.^[5]
The Psalmist () in the T.

J. Honeyman Memorial Garden of Kelvingrove Park,
the Joseph Dark Memorial () at the University of Glasgow,
the statues of Saints Margaret and Ninian on the front of the (former) Bank of Scotland building on Sauchiehall St,
the Painting and Sculpture reliefs on the Mercat Building (–29) and
the Stations of the Cross sculptures in St.

Charles' Parish ChurchNorth Kelvinside.
the Crucifix in St Columba's Church, Woodside, Glasgow
Ex Terra in Glenrothes town centre next to the bus station
bust of James Pittendrigh Macgillivray, Scottish National Portrait Gallery ()
busts of William Boyd, Mrs William Rettie, and William Tattersall in Dundee Dental Hospital & School, University of Dundee^[3]
a bust of William Boyd's daughter Joan at The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum
bust of Keir Hardie, People's Palace, Glasgow^[6]
eleven foot high sculpture 'The Window on the World', Vale of Leven Academy Alexandria.

The majority of these works were in Glasgow and the surrounding area.

He was responsible for the repair of the bridge sculpture at Kelvingrove Park beside the now refurbished art gallery and museum.

Although Benno Schotz is frequently referred to as an Estonian sculptor, all his professional life was in Scotland.

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He became a naturalised British subject in He became a full member of the Royal Scottish Academy, in He headed the Sculpture and Ceramics dept. of the Glasgow School of Art from until his retirement in His active life as a sculptor continued thereafter with renewed force and he created his most ambitious and monumental works over the next 20 years.

In , he was appointed The Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland, a member of the Royal household. A major retrospective exhibition of his works () was held at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. His interest in the drawing of trees developed, with the drawings becoming more and more complex and abstract.

Benno Schotz 28 August — 11 October was an Estonian-born Scottish sculptor, and one of Scotland's leading artists during the twentieth century. Inhe immigrated to Glasgow, where he gained an engineering diploma from the Royal Technical College. Schotz became a full-time sculptor in His homes at West Campbell Street and later Kirklee Road were a focus for meetings of artists, writers, actors, and politicians.

He mounted a successful exhibition of Sculptures and Related Drawings in Glasgow (). His last sculpture was executed less than six weeks before his death, aged He was Life-President of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.

Honors include: Autonomy of the City of Glasgow; Honorary Fellow of The Hebrew University; Honorary LL.D, Strathclyde University; Honorary Member of the British Society of British Sculptors; Honorary Member of the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland.

Source: his daughter, Mrs. S. C. Crome, and son, Mr. A. M Schotz.

Books

Schotz, Benno ().
Benno Schotz - Biography - askART: Benno Schotz (28 August – 11 October ) was an Estonian-born Scottish sculptor, and one of Scotland's leading artists during the twentieth century.
Bronze in my blood&#;: the memoirs of Benno Schotz. Edinburgh, Scotland: G. Wright Pub. ISBN&#;.

Gallery

Alexander Reid
"Ex Terra"
The Psalmist ().

Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, Scotland
Joan , the McManus, Dundee
Keir Hardie, Peoples Palace, Glasgow