In 1952 Ian Rank-Broadley was born at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, growing up and then studying at the Epsom School of Art, where he studied sculpture under Bruce McLean, moving on to the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London, with Post-graduate studies under Reg Butler, Michael Kenny & John Davies.
Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS is a renowned British sculptor, born in 1952, known for creating numerous acclaimed works, including several designs for British coinage and the memorial statue of Princess Diana at Kensington Palace in London, unveiled on her 60th birthday in 2021. Rank-Broadley received his education at Epsom School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, where he was awarded the Boise Travelling Scholarship. He later continued his studies at the British School at Rome.
Rank-Broadley’s works are held in the collections of the British Museum, London’s National Portrait Gallery, the Ashmolean Museum, Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Rijksmuseum, and several others. He is a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, a Brother of the Art Workers Guild, and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He currently lives and works in Gloucestershire and is married with one daughter.
Rank-Broadley has a preference for sculpting the male nude, which he believes still holds a power that can excite, grab attention and shock. In 1996, he won the Prize for his bronze maquette for Dante’s Gates of Hell at the XI Biennale Dantesca, Ravenna, Italy. He received the 2008 Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture for his work on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, which contains two large figure groups, each one and a quarter times life size.
Rank-Broadley has also designed several coins, including the new effigy of Elizabeth II to appear on the obverse of circulated British and some Commonwealth coinage from 1998 onward. He also designed the conjoint portrait of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on the 2007 crown coin, celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary. In 2012, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Vicenza Numismatica.
| 1976-77 | Boise Scholarship. Studied in Rome and visited Naples, Florence, Venice & Paris |
| 1977 | Assistant to Reg Butler during work on late painted bronzes |
| 1982 | Visiting lecturer in Life studies, Heatherley School of Art, London |
| 1990 | Elected Fellow of the Society of Numismatic Artists & Designers |
| 1994 | Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors (ARBS 1989) |
| 1995 | Elected to the Art Workers Guild |
| 1996 | Made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’ Granted Freedom of the City of London |
| 1973 | Major Award in Sculpture from the British Institution Fund, Royal Academy of Arts, London |
| 1996 | Prize for bronze maquette for Dante’s Gates of Hell XI Biennale Dantesca, Ravenna Italy |
| 1997 | Winner of Royal Mint competition for the new effigy of HM Queen for use on the United Kingdom & Commonwealth coinage from 1998 |
| 1998 | Winner of Royal Mint competition for the Queen Mother Centennial Crown |
| 2000 | First Prize Craftsmanship & Design Awards (modelling) Goldsmiths’ Craft Design Council |
| 2001 | Winner of Royal Mint competition for effigy of HM Queen for Golden Jubilee crown & medal |
| 2002 | Coin effigy of HM Queen to be used by British Hallmarking Council for Golden Jubilee Hallmark |