William McElcheran is well-known for his bronze businessmen which are included in important public, corporate and private collections on three continents. The wit and irony of these pieces comes from McElcheran’s broad and deep knowledge of and insight into philosophy and art. Over his lifetime, McElcheran sought a new synthesis of plastic expression in a much larger human context than most contemporary sculpture had previously tackled. 

It was his combination of masterful craftsmanship, intellect and moral courage which gave rise to the powerful humanism which animates all of his work. McElcheran, the sculptor, always kept in mind the context of his work as he created each individual piece. His businessmen are not mere figures in bronze; these hurrying figures touch the world with their relevant subject matter which is immediately identifiable. McElcheran’s satire was pointed but never cruel. In a 1973 review, freelance journalist Sol Littman wrote, “McElcheran’s work is bitingly satiric yet warmly human.” While McElcheran poked fun at the business elite, he distilled his bronzes into classic forms which never lost their grace and movement. 

William McElcheran, Humanism in Bronze, Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto, 2010. Courtesy; Mr. Paul Robinson.