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Born in 1916, Kenneth Armitage was one of the foremost British sculptors of the 20th century, best known for his large semi-abstract pieces and human-like forms. Having studied at Leeds College of Art and the Slade School, Armitage’s career was put on hold when he joined the army in WWII. Upon his return to Britain he became head of the sculpture department at the Bath Academy.

By 1958 Armitage had won the category for best international sculpture at the Venice Biennale, further acclaim coming in the form of a CBE in 1969 and election as an RA in 1994. His style of sculpture is distinctive, characterized by animal-human cross forms, often humorous, and elements of ancient Egyptian and archaic earthenware sculpture. He is widely considered to be a pioneer of modern sculpture.