City acquires first piece by acclaimed artist

The life-size plaster maquette, entitled Birdman, has been gifted to Leeds Art Gallery through membership charity the Art Fund by the Frink Estate and Beaux Arts, London.

While Leeds Art Gallery represents some of the greatest British sculptors of the 20th century it did not have a Frink sculpture until now. The sculpture has been valued at 250,000.

Elisabeth Frink is widely recognised as one of the UK's most important post-war sculptors, and Birdman is an illustration of some of the artist's key concerns.

It represents a half-man, half-bird figure. Made in plaster on a steel armature, it is 190cm tall. The male form, along with animals such as dogs, horses and birds, was a major preoccupation for Frink throughout her career.

With its thin spindly limbs and slight torso, Birdman captures the frail, vulnerable side of man. Although its creation date is uncertain, it is thought to have been made around 1958/9.

Sophie Raikes, based at the Henry Moore Institute, who is curator of the Leeds Sculpture Collection, said: "Leeds Art Gallery has one of the largest collections of 20th century British sculpture in the country.

"However, it has always been our regret that it does not include a sculpture by Frink herself, who is of course a key figure in this period. The acquisition of Birdman finally allows us to represent her work at its very best."

Elisabeth Frink's son Lin Jammet said: "It was very important to us all to find a good home for the Birdman plaster, somewhere it would be seen by the public rather than just stuck in a store awaiting display. It's a really important piece because it gives you a sense of the speed and spontaneity with which my mother worked."

Born in Thurlow, Suffolk in 1930, Elisabeth Frink studied at Guildford School of Art and Chelsea School of Art and had her first major exhibition at the original Beaux Arts Gallery alongside the London Group in 1952.