The essential beauty of figurative sculpture lies not with the beauty of the figure depicted, but with the chosen “moment” where it seems that life, breath, and movement have been magically stopped at the precise instant that captures the most meaning. Richard MacDonald’s Trumpeter is a work of art that will one day take its rightful place amongst the great figurative works of history – along with Rodin’s “Kiss”, or Degas’ “Little Dancer”. A lifetime of brilliant work still has its pinnacles, and one of Richard MacDonald’s greatest achievements is surely the lithe and joyous Trumpeter.