Lyndon Raymond Dadswell

Lyndon Raymond Dadswell;Lyndon Dadswell

Place: Stanmore

Born: 1908

Death: 1986

Biography:

Lyndon Raymond Dadswell, an Australian artist, is remembered as the country's first official war sculptor. Born on January 18, 1908, in Stanmore, Sydney, he was the son of Arthur Raymond Dadswell and his wife Maysel Cobcroft Dadswell, née Pidgeon.

Early Life and Education

Dadswell was educated at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School ('Shore') and attended Julian Ashton's Sydney Art School from 1924 to 1925. He also studied at East Sydney Technical College under Rayner Hoff from 1926 to 1929, where he showed an early interest in sculpture.

Career and Artistic Style

Dadswell's artistic style was characterized by his experimentation with the Art Deco style, which was prevalent in Sydney during the 1920s and 1930s. He received several major commissions and won the Wynne Prize for his statue Youth in 1933. This enabled him to travel to London and enroll in several Royal Academy schools, where he was influenced by notable artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Carl Milles, Jacob Epstein, and Frank Dobson.

War Service and Later Career

In 1940, Dadswell enlisted with the 2nd AIF and served with the 2/3rd Battalion in Greece, Libya, and Syria. He was seriously wounded in Syria in June 1941, resulting in a partial loss of sight. Commissioned as a lieutenant, he was appointed a war artist at the Military History Section in Heliopolis, Egypt. After his return to Australia, Dadswell resumed his teaching position at East Sydney Technical College, where he remained until his retirement in 1973.

Legacy and Personal Life

Dadswell married Elza Antoinette Ruth Stenning in 1930, but they divorced in 1939. He then married Audrey Margaret Herbert in 1939 and had two children with her. Dadswell's legacy continues to be celebrated through his art, which can be found in various museums, including the Australian War Memorial and the National Gallery of Australia. His remains were cremated after his death on November 7, 1986.

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