Liverpool is a beautiful city, home to many talented and wonderful people. A great number of famous figures were born, studied, or built their careers here, including musicians, singers, politicians, scientists, poets, writers, athletes, and artists. Today, we’re looking at the life of the brilliant English artist and sculptor Arthur Dooley, who was also born in our city. Read on to learn more about the life story of this local figure at liverpool1.one.
Arthur Dooley’s Path to Art
The future artist was born in Liverpool in 1929. At the age of 14, Arthur began working as a welder at the Cammell Laird shipyard. In 1945, the Liverpool native enlisted in the Irish Guards, becoming a piper in the regimental band. After his military service, Arthur worked as a cleaner at St Martin’s School of Art in London. The young man soon decided to combine work with study, enrolling in a drawing course at the Whitechapel Art Gallery before eventually becoming a student at St Martin’s itself.
In 1962, Arthur Dooley held his first exhibition. He decided he wanted to be a full-time sculptor and moved from London back to his home city of Liverpool. It was here that he established a small studio. However, with money being tight, he also had to work at the Dunlop Rubber Factory in Speke.
The Works of Arthur Dooley
The Fifteen Stations of the Cross in St Mary’s RC Church was an early yet outstanding work by the artist. Many more pieces with religious themes followed, including the Resurrected Christ in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, The Redemption (a joint work with Ann McTavish) in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, the Resurrection of Christ at the Princess Park Methodist Church in Toxteth, and a Madonna and Child at St Faith’s Church in Crosby. He also created a sculpture titled ‘Splitting the Atom’. In addition, Arthur produced the tribute to The Beatles on Mathew Street in Liverpool.
Another notable work by the sculptor is held by the Oldham Gallery. Dooley created the ‘Fisher-Bendix Tree’, which incorporated parts from old radiators. Although the sculpture was purchased by the Oldham Art Gallery, it has never been exhibited.
Some of his works were never completed. In 1967, the Manchester Connolly Association commissioned Dooley to create a memorial sculpture to mark the centenary of the execution of the Manchester Martyrs. The idea sparked public controversy, and Dooley only managed to create a maquette (a preliminary model). Today, this maquette is part of the collection at the Working Class Movement Library in Manchester.
In 1974, the artist was commissioned by the International Brigade Association of Scotland to create a monument honouring the 2,100 British volunteers of the International Brigade—men and women who joined the Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War. The work was funded by trade unions and supporters of the Labour movement. The sculptor depicted the female figure of Dolores Ibárruri, ‘La Pasionaria’, in a long dress. She stands with her legs apart and arms raised, and the plinth is carved with her famous slogan: “Better to die on your feet than live forever on your knees”.
Over time, this sculpture fell into a poor state of repair, drawing public criticism. It was eventually restored in 2010.
The talented sculptor and artist passed away in 1994. However, Arthur Dooley left behind an incredible body of work that will serve as a lasting reminder of his creativity and talent. We hope you found this article informative and learned more about our city and the work of Arthur Dooley.
Do you admire the work of sculptor Dooley? Which of his pieces impresses you the most? We look forward to your comments on social media. We value your opinion.