A remarkable bronze sculpture created by a Scottish soldier while serving on the front lines during World War I is set to be sold at auction during Remembrance week. The bronze statue titled "The Gunner" was originally modeled in clay by artilleryman Alexander Carrick while he was on active duty in 1917, making it an extraordinary piece of wartime art created under the most challenging circumstances.
Gunner Carrick, who hailed from Musselburgh in West Lothian, operated eight-inch howitzers while serving with the 30th (Siege) Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, on the Western Front. The sculpture depicts a soldier handling a shell for one of these heavy artillery weapons, drawing directly from Carrick's personal experience in combat. After creating the clay model on the battlefield, it was sent back to Scotland to be cast in bronze.
The artist came from humble beginnings as the son of a blacksmith but had received formal artistic training at the Edinburgh College of Art. He had also served as an apprentice to William Birnie Rhind, a renowned sculptor who was highly regarded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This combination of artistic skill and military experience gave Carrick a unique perspective that is reflected in the powerful realism of "The Gunner."
"The Gunner" made its debut at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1918 while Carrick was still actively serving in Belgium. The sculpture later gained wider recognition when it was exhibited in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and at London's prestigious Royal Academy in 1922. The work's emotional power and artistic merit earned it significant acclaim in the art world.
This particular bronze is exceptionally rare, with only two other known examples in existence. One remains in the possession of the artist's descendants, while another was previously sold at Sotheby's auction house in 1994. The rarity of the piece adds considerably to its historical and monetary value.
The sculpture will be featured in Olympia Auctions' "European Works of Art, Objects & Silver" sale scheduled for November 19, with an estimated value between $1,500 and $2,500. Matthew Barton, a specialist at Olympia Auctions, expressed his honor in presenting this significant work.
"I feel honored to present this powerful bronze of 'The Gunner' by the Scottish sculptor Alexander Carrick," Barton stated. "It is the season of remembrance and this figure is an emotive testament to the artist's personal experience of the First World War. The maquette was first modeled by Carrick in Belgian clay, when he was an artilleryman himself and serving at the front, in support of the Ypres Salient."
Barton further emphasized the remarkable circumstances of the sculpture's creation and exhibition: "The figure was then sent home for casting in bronze, to be exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1918, all whilst Carrick was still fighting in the war in Belgium." This timeline underscores the extraordinary nature of Carrick's artistic achievement while simultaneously serving his country in one of history's most devastating conflicts.
Alexander Carrick lived a long life after surviving the war, passing away in 1966 at the age of 83. His legacy as both a soldier and an artist continues to resonate, with "The Gunner" standing as a powerful reminder of the human experience during World War I and the artistic expression that emerged from even the most dire circumstances.
