Lot 111: Sean Crampton 1918-1999 The Batchelors of Avebury

Sean Crampton 1918-1999 The Batchelors of Avebury Bronze Signed SC stamped 92 and numbered 1 of 6; variegated green patination 61cm.; 24ins high by 96cm.; 38ins long included with this lot is a charcoal sketch of the Batchelors of Avebury titled signed and dated 96 66cm.; 26ins high by 83cm.; 32½ins long framed Throughout the Second World War Crampton the soldier carried a small anthology of verse. One poem that he learned to love was The Song of the Ungirt Runners by Charles Hamilton-Sorley who was killed in the First World War. With its freedom from restriction and inhibition this poem 'just hit the button'. So it was that many years later walking among the stones of the ancient Avebury circle Crampton 'suddenly had a visualisation of the young men tearing past me along the stone avenue - and because I'm a sculptor they formed a picture in my mind which was familiar - of course: the ungirt runners of the poem. 'This is how memory frequently works. Any event which is experiences with strong emotion is stored and is available throughout life. The trigger for this recall can be either another similarly strong emotion or a moments of silent tranquility. 'I made some drawings - and a small model - then another model. The models took a few weeks to make - the foundry a few weeks to turn this one into bronze: The Bachelors of Avebury. |How long does it take?| is the commonest question the sculptor is asked. 'In 1942 In the Western Desert....1992 In Calne (where his studio was). Fifty years'. Bibliography: Nothing is profane: Sean Crampton Sculptor by John Lloyd St Edmunds Publications 2000