William Birnie RhindRSA (1853–1933) was a Scottish sculptor.
Life
Rhind was born in Edinburgh on 27 February 1853 as the first son of sculptor
John Rhind (1828–1892), and his wife, Catherine Birnie. He was the elder brother of
J. Massey Rhind.[1] The two brothers set up a studio in Glasgow in 1885, then Birnie moved to Edinburgh, and his brother went to Paris, then permanently to America in 1889, despite the warnings of their father. His younger brother was
Thomas Duncan Rhind, an architect.[2]
His name is particularly connected to several dozen sculptural war memorials in the Edinburgh and
Lothian area. One of these is a monument to the Royal Scots Greys on
Princes Street in Edinburgh. Also of note is the 1919 bronze figure of a fallen officer, telling his men to "carry on", which acts as the school war memorial at
Fettes College, a private school in Edinburgh.[3]
William died on 9 July 1933[4] and was buried with his parents, and Alice Stone (1862–1937), his wife, in the family plot in
Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh.[5]
Works
"Virtue" panels on the memorial to the
Duke of Buccleuch in front of St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, 1887
Allegory of Learning, two figures above portico of
Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, 1917
Four allegorical groupings representing Agriculture, Art, Industry and Learning at the base of the dome of the
Manitoba Legislative Building, Winnipeg, 1918–1919
Apollo (1889-1894), Glasgow, former Sun Life Building, Renfield StreetApollo, Night and Day (1889-1894) Glasgow, former Sun Life Building, Renfield StreetNight (1889-1894) Glasgow, former Sun Life Building, Renfield StreetDay (1889-1894), Glasgow, former Sun Life Building, Renfield Street