Sir William Reid Dick, R.A., was Queen’s Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland, and from 1938 until 1952 Sculptor to King George VI. A leading Scottish sculptor renowned for his monumental works and refined portraiture, Dick was distinguished by a stylised simplicity of form and a strong sense of dignity.
Born into a working-class family in Glasgow’s Gorbals district, Dick began his career as an apprentice stonemason at a young age, gaining practical carving skills while attending evening classes at the Glasgow School of Art. After completing further studies in Glasgow, Dick moved to London in 1908, enrolling at the South London Technical School of Art (later Lambeth Art School) while working as an assistant to Edwin Whitney-Smith. That same year, he debuted at the Royal Academy, where he would exhibit regularly throughout his career. Dick was elected an Associate in 1921 and a full Royal Academician in 1928.
Dick received numerous prestigious commissions, including the Kitchener Memorial Chapel in St Paul's Cathedral (1922–25), bas-reliefs for Selfridges (1928), and the RAF Memorial on London’s Victoria Embankment. He was knighted by George V in 1935. His notable works also include portraits of Winston Churchill and George VI, as well as major sculptures such as Controlled Energy and Godiva. A prominent figure in British sculpture, Dick served as President of the Royal Society of British Sculptors from 1933 to 1938. His legacy endures through his technically accomplished and sensitively executed public monuments and portraits. Dick was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1939.
