William Turnbull left school at fifteen in pursuit of work
after his father lost his job during the Great Depression. Initially working as
a labourer, Turnbull attended drawing classes at the University of Dundee in
his evenings and soon found a job as a commercial illustrator. In 1941 he was enlisted
as an RAF Pilot and upon his return studied at The Slade School of Fine Art
where he began to develop his renowned minimalist abstract style.

Turnbull’s sculptural works from the 1960s and early 1970s were
characterised by calculated forms, exploring how little substance a structure could
have whilst still holding its space. Alongside this sculptural pursuit,
Turnbull frequently depicted the human head, drawing upon what he had seen of
ancient and classical masks in The British Museum. As demonstrated also within
his sculptures, each form and line in these paintings was intentional and
deliberate. In Head, 1974, there is a strong implication not only of
Turnbull’s deep understanding of form, but also confidence in his own method of
representation.