Men on the Move, 1984

Private Collection, Toronto

After graduating from the Ontario College of Art in 1948 at the top of his class, William McElcheran went on to become chief designer for Bruce Brown and Brisley Architects where he helped co-ordinate the planning and designing of churches and university buildings. With this shift to a more corporate career path, McElcheran still sought to work on his own practice and began building a client base of corporate professionals—his inspiration for his businessmen series. 

McElcheran spent a significant amount of time in Pietrasanta, Italy, living near a foundry and other artists skilled in bronze casting. Influenced by Italian modernism, the artist’s simplified, smooth figural forms reflect both this aesthetic and his mastery of bronze, developed through work with expert casters. In post-war consumer society, William McElcheran’s businessmen sculptures gently satirize corporate life while preserving their subjects’ humanity, recasting the modern hero as an ‘Everyman.’ In Men on the Move, a group of eight businessmen walk briskly in unison, suggesting the rhythm of a rush- hour commute. 

This work is considered a maquette for the 28.5 x 24 x 39 inches bronze sculpture, The Hunting Party of 1998.