William Leslie Bowles was an Australian sculptor and medallist. He studied carving and modelling at the Brisbane Technical College under Lewis J. Harvey, a careful and dedicated teacher who stressed drawing and the proper use of materials. Harvey's fine art nouveau furniture and pottery introduced Bowles to the style and to current academic techniques before he went to England on a scholarship from the college in 1910. He worked there with several sculptors, including (Sir) E. Bertram Mackennal. In Mackennal's studio work was then concentrated mainly on large public monuments, such as the London Memorial and Tomb for King Edward VII, and equestrian statues of the king for Melbourne, London and Calcutta. It is not surprising that Bowles's later independent work reflects that of Mackennal, and almost never stems directly from other contemporaries. While mainly connected with the design of large monuments, he was also invited to design Australian coins and medals. |
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