Henry Cooper
- Artist: William Redgrave
- Date: 1969
- Medium: bronze
- Dimensions: 16 3/8 in. x 9 in. (415 mm x 230 mm) overall
- Portrays: Sir Henry Cooper
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
In front of you sits a bronze bust of Sir Henry Cooper. The figure’s head is rendered in striking detail – the proud stance, the broad shoulders that hint at his strong build, and especially that unmistakable “boxer’s nose” that the sculptor captured from life. The bronze patina gives it a warm tone, with subtle shading around the cheekbones and jawline that recalls the physicality of a heavy‑weight champion.
The work was cast in 1969 by William Redgrave, who had begun the piece in clay before transferring it to bronze. Redgrave, an English sculptor born in 1903, had created only a handful of portraits; this one is his sole bust of a living person and is noted for its faithful reproduction.
Sir Henry Cooper was more than a great boxer – he won British, Commonwealth and European titles, fought Muhammad Ali twice, and became the first British heavyweight to receive a knighthood. The bust therefore not only shows him’s visage but also honors a man who stood at the height of his career.
See it in person
Henry Cooper is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
