# Bernard Meadows artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/bernard-meadows/
Profile generated: 2026-05-29T20:33:26.213Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1915-02-19
- Death date: 2005-01-12
- Nationality: British
- Movements: Geometry of Fear, British modernist sculpture
- Common media: sculpture (bronze, metal), graphic works / prints

## About Bernard Meadows

Bernard Meadows (1915–2005) was a British modernist sculptor, graphic artist, and influential educator whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Born in Norwich, Meadows is recognized as Henry Moore's first assistant, working closely with the elder sculptor during formative periods in the late 1930s and late 1940s, and again in Moore's final years. Meadows emerged as a central figure in the Geometry of Fear generation of British sculptors, a group whose angular, expressive metalwork gained international attention at the 1952 Venice Biennale. His own sculpture frequently drew on animal and avian forms—crabs, cockerels, and birds rendered in spiky, threatening bronze configurations that reflected post-war anxiety. Beyond his studio practice, Meadows shaped a generation of artists as professor of sculpture at the Royal College of Art from 1960 to 1979, following an earlier teaching post there beginning in 1948. His work is held in major public collections including Tate, which maintains a dedicated artist page and significant holdings.

## Common works and media

Meadows worked primarily in cast bronze sculpture, often producing editions of animal and bird subjects such as crabs, cockerels, and abstracted avian forms. He also created smaller-scale metal constructions, plaster maquettes, and preparatory drawings. His graphic output includes prints and works on paper. Collectors encountering Meadows' work at auction will most commonly find mid-century bronze casts from the 1950s–1970s, typically signed, numbered, and bearing foundry stamps. Works on paper and prints represent a secondary but active market segment.

## Market and appraisal context

Bernard Meadows' work appears regularly in Post-War and Modern British art sales at major auction houses. His bronze sculptures—especially animal and bird subjects with the jagged, biomorphic forms characteristic of the Geometry of Fear period—are the most sought-after works at auction. Edition number, foundry marks, date of casting, and documented provenance (particularly any connection to the Henry Moore studio circle) are key factors in appraisal. Prints and graphic works by Meadows trade at more accessible price points and represent a significant portion of his market presence. Condition, authenticity of cast, and exhibition history can materially affect value. Collectors should note that Meadows' long teaching career at the Royal College of Art means works may carry additional academic or institutional provenance.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines verified biographical and identity data from Tate, the RKD Netherlands Institute, Getty ULAN, VIAF, and Wikidata with auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lot information when those records are available. Artist identity facts are cross-referenced against multiple authority files to ensure accuracy.

## Sources

- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/bernard-meadows-1615
- RKD Netherlands Institute: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/54383
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/96139543/
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q506566
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500066469
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Meadows
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81094842