The figure of Judas is a powerful embodiment of betrayal. Elisabeth Frink tackles the ambiguities of the character: his blunt hands and contorted body and face seem strange and uncomfortable; his masked eyes and deep, gouged features are brutal and harsh.

Frink usually worked in her studio alone and made most of her sculptures by building up plaster onto a framework made using metal rods and wire. Once the plaster had dried, she would work into the surface with an axe, chisels and files to create expressive textures. The plaster sculptures would then be cast in bronze at a foundry.

An exhibition of Frink’s sculpture, prints and plaster models – Natural Connection – is on display at The Weston until 23 February 2025.

Courtesy The Frink Estate and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.