Maquette of William Wallace
© the estate of Alexander Carrick. Image credit: Historic Environment Scotland

Maquette of William Wallace 20th C

Alexander Carrick (1882–1966)

Historic Environment Scotland

Sculptor and notable teacher, born in Musselburgh, Midlothian. Carrick originally trained as a stone carver in the studio of Birnie Rhind, Edinburgh, then studied sculpture at the College of Art there and Royal College of Art. He joined the staff of Edinburgh College of Art in 1914, and apart from a break for military service, 1916–18, he was to continue his teaching career at the College until around 1942, for the last 14 years being head of sculpture. Carrick showed at RSA, RA and Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, but he is especially remembered for his sculptures related to architecture. Between the wars he carried out many commissions on a large scale, including the Animal Wall extensions at Cardiff Castle, 1923; the exterior figures of Justice and Courage and the interior bronze reliefs for the Scottish War Memorial, 1924–7; and the carving of William Reid Dick’s designs for St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, 1936.

Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)

Artworks by Alexander Carrick

  • Maquette of William Wallace
    Maquette of William Wallace Alexander Carrick (1882–1966)
    Edinburgh Castle
  • Maquette of Robert the Bruce
    Maquette of Robert the Bruce Alexander Carrick (1882–1966)
    Edinburgh Castle
  • War Memorial
    War Memorial Alexander Carrick (1882–1966) and James Bow Dunn (1861–1930)
  • Animal Wall
    Animal Wall Thomas Nicholls (c.1825–1896) and W. Antill and William Burges (1827–1881) and Alexander Carrick (1882–1966)
  • Allegorical Figure Groups of Insurance and Security
    Allegorical Figure Groups of Insurance and Security Leslie Grahame-Thomson (1896–1974) and Frank James Connell (1910–1992) and Alexander Carrick (1882–1966)
  • Vulcan Park War Memorial
    Vulcan Park War Memorial Alexander Carrick (1882–1966) and Gertrude Alice Meredith Williams (1877–1934) and Robert Stodart Lorimer (1864–1929)
  • War Memorial
    War Memorial Alexander Carrick (1882–1966)
  • 16 more

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Alexander Carrick [also known as Alex Carrick] was born the son of a blacksmith in Musselburgh, Scotland in 1882. After training as a stone carver in the studio of the sculptor William Birnie Rhind (1853-1933) and attending classes at Edinburgh College of Art, in 1905 he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London where he was taught by Édouard Lantéri (1848-1917). He then returned to Scotland where worked for two years under the monumental sculptor James Pittendrigh Macgillivray (1856-1938) at his studio in Edinburgh.

In 1914 Carrick began teaching at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1916 he broke off from his teaching to serve in the Army during World War One. With the war over, in 1918 he returned to the college and in 1929 was appointed Professor of Sculpture, a position he held until his retirement in 1945.

In the 1920s Carrick carved a number of figures for the National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle and in 1929 made the bronze figure of William Wallace for the gateway to the castle.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy and Royal Society of Portrait Painters in London; the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh; the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool; the Aberdeen Artists' Society; and at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts. Work by him was also shown in the Palace of Arts at the Empire Exhibition in Scotland in 1938.

Carrick was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy (ARSA )in 1918, and a full member of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 1929. He was also elected an Associate of the Royal Society of British Sculptors (ARBS) in 1918, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors (FRBS) in 1938. He died in Galashiels, Scotland on 26 January 1966.

Venues

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