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{{Short description|British-Indian sculptor (1931–2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = James William Mathieson
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = James William Mathieson
| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|6|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Calcutta, India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|04|12|1931|6|21|df=y}}
| death_place =
| known_for = Sculpture
| training = [[City and Guilds of London Art School]]
| movement =
| notable_works = Statue of William Hogarth and his pug dog
| patrons =
| awards =
}}
'''James William Mathieson''' (21 June 1931 – 12 April 2003) was a British Indian [[sculptor]].

== Biography ==

=== Early life ===
Mathieson was born in [[Kolkata|Calcutta]], India, and attended the Lawrence Royal Military School in Simla Hills. His parents hoped that he and his brother David would become army officers. When the British began to leave India, he moved with his family to [[Scotland]] in 1947. Despite showing early skill in art, his father refused to fund his art studies.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=23 April 2003 |title=Jim Mathieson |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/jim-mathieson-36463.html |website=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> As a young adult, he completed national service, then worked in [[insurance]] while completing his school studies (O- and A-levels) at evening classes. He joined the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] in 1960, becoming an active member.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Bott |first=Val |date=2003-04-24 |title=Jim Mathieson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/apr/24/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1 |access-date=2025-04-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> He campaigned against the [[Suez Crisis]] and joined both the [[Communist Party of Britain|Communist Party]] and the [[Committee of 100 (United Kingdom)|Committee of 100]]. He was arrested twice while protesting.<ref name=":1" />

=== Career ===
In 1964, at the age of 34, he started a four-year art course at [[City and Guilds of London Art School]] in [[London, England|London]]. Following this, between 1969 and 1979, he taught part-time at the Sir John Cass and Ealing schools of art, teaching aspects of sculpture.<ref name=":0" /> While still studying, he was chosen to cast Prince of Wales's crown for the [[Investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales|investiture of Charles]] at [[Caernarfon Castle|Caernarvon Castle]] in 1969.<ref name=":1" />

From 1979, he worked full-time as a sculptor.<ref name=":1" /> His best-known sculpture is of the artist [[William Hogarth]] and his [[pug]] dog [[Trump (dog)|Trump]], which stands on [[Chiswick High Road]], London. This was unveiled by [[Ian Hislop]] and [[David Hockney]] in October 2001. While he did create portrait and figurative sculptures, he most enjoyed abstract sculpture. In his abstract work he tried to capture the "essential qualities that express this miracle of life".<ref name=":0" /> Between 1984 and 1998 he sculpted portraits for [[Madame Tussauds]] as a way to make money while pursuing his personal art.<ref name=":1" />

=== Personal life ===
Mathieson married Edna Skinner in 1959. They had a daughter, but she died as a baby in 1964. He and Edna had a second daughter, named Catherine, in 1966. Mathieson divorced Edna in 1979 and later married Judy Craig in 1981. Judy Craig, also a sculptor, became the head of the portrait studio at Madame Tussauds.<ref name=":0" />

He was diagnosed with cancer in 1992.<ref name=":1" /> Mathieson died in April 2003, and was survived by his wife, his daughter, his stepson, and three grandchildren.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200131/http://www.mathiesonsculpture.com/ Gallery of Mathieson's sculptures]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathieson, Jim}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament activists]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish sculptors]]
[[Category:Scottish male sculptors]]
[[Category:20th-century British sculptors]]
[[Category:Alumni of the City and Guilds of London Art School]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Artists from Kolkata]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian sculptors]]
[[Category:Indian male sculptors]]
[[Category:Communist Party of Britain members]]

Jim Mathieson (sculptor) - Revision history

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