Beasts were a theme continuously re-visited by Chadwick throughout his career be it in bronze, stainless steel or on paper. ‘Beast’ 1958 relates to a series started in 1955 where Chadwick explored the form and gesture of a beast with its head turned to bark or howl and the energy and vital power that could be expressed.

Lynn Chadwick came to sculpture through unconventional means initially working as an architectural draughtsman. He began his sculptural career making mobile constructions for building trade fairs and it was the resulting success of these early mobiles and stabiles two of which were shown on the South Bank during the Festival of Britain in 1951, that first allowed him to seriously consider becoming a freelance sculptor. However drawing, printmaking and occasionally painting remained very much part of Chadwick's making process and this exceptional example highlights his talented draughtsmanship, architectural eye for line and structure and his ability to employ colour to highlight form.