λ Sydney Harpley (British 1927-1992) Girl in a Hammock Bronze with a green patina Signed and numbered 1/9 Inc. base: 102 x 157cm (40 x 61¾ in.) Royal Academician Sydney Harpley became renowned for his depiction of the single female figure whether this be dancing, resting, reading or perched on a swing or in this case a hammock. Harpley was born in Fulham in 1927. He left school at the age of 14 to follow in his father's footsteps and entered an apprenticeship as an electrician. He spent time working on an American air base and was fascinated with the structure of the planes and the concept of movement and flight. This fascination would play a role later on during his sculpting career as he played with the concept of movement depicting figures on swings, hammocks and acrobatic leap. Another great influence was Egyptian art and sculpture which he encountered during his posting in Cairo whilst he served National Service with the Royal Engineers between 1945 and 1948. In 1951, Harpley had enrolled to study sculpture at Hammersmith School of Art and later at the Royal College of Art under the tutelage of John Skeaping. Harpley first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1954 and continued to exhibit regularly throughout his lifetime before becoming a full Royal Academician in 1981.