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© Roland-Randall
© All rights reserved
© All rights reserved
© All rights reserved

Robert Randall

  • Woodcarver
  • London, United Kingdom
  • Master Artisan
Robert Randall Woodcarver
© Roland-Randall

From furniture to gilded fantasies

  • • He is a Senior Carving Lecturer at City & Guilds of London Art School
  • • Since 2000 he has been a partner in the Sands and Randall firm
  • • He recreated one of the dragons carved in 1762 for the Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens, London

The apprenticeship he was offered when he was 16 years old, changed his life. As instead of going to university like his siblings did after leaving school, Robert Randall chose to train with a wood working company and after three years, he enrolled at the London College of Furniture. Whilst there he discovered that cabinet making wasn’t his passion but in fact carving was. Since getting a diploma in Ornamental Woodcarving and Gilding at City & Guilds of London Art School in 1997, and consequently opening his studio with Ashley Sands, he has undertaken a wide range of projects and commissions, from traditional to contemporary. His work can be seen in London at the Shakespeare’s Globe, St Paul’s Cathedral and Kew Gardens, and in galleries and private collections around the world.

Read the full interview

Works

  • © Simone Morciano
  • © Robert Randall
  • © James Champion
  • © Robert Randall
  • © Robert Randall
Photo: © Simone Morciano
Westminster Hall lantern

In 2020, Robert Randall worked on the recreation and restoration of a lantern in Westminster Hall, Houses of Parliament. Architectural lanterns are fitted on a building to help add natural light to the building below. The lantern, measuring approximately five meters by ten, was worked on by hand using English oak.

Width 10 m
Height 5 m

Photo: © Robert Randall
Section of chandelier for Orleans House

This is the hand carved lower piece of chandelier for Orleans House, Twickenham designed by the architect James Gibbs in the 1720s. The base section was detailed with pea moulding, egg and dart, acanthus leaf and pineapple ornament. Here a first coat of gesso was applied before the chandelier was completed and gilded. The chandelier, carved from lime wood, was based on black and white pictures taken from Country Life magazine.

Width 150 cm
Height 300 cm

Photo: © James Champion
Orleans House chandelier

This chandelier, hand carved from several sections of wood and finally joined, was created for Orleans House, Twickenham. The room was designed by the architect James Gibbs in the 1720’s. The chandelier, carved from lime wood and gilded was based on black and white pictures taken from Country Life magazine.

Width 130 cm
Height 180 cm

Photo: © Robert Randall
Reaching monkey

As part of a private commission for a library in Virginia, Robert Randall carved a series of panels, including this panel of a monkey reaching for grapes. The commission involved the design and carving of eight lime wood capitals in the forms of monkey set into the bay divisions of a number of bookcases as well as four panels.

Width 40 cm
Height 60 cm

Photo: © Robert Randall
Li Bai

As part of a private commission for a library in Virginia, Robert Randall carved this lime wood sculpture of Chinese poet Li Bai in the body of a monkey. The sculpture is part of a series of eight, each of monkeys, that were created to be set as bay divisions on a number of bookcases.

Width 40 cm
Height 60 cm

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