Chadwick was born in the suburb of Barnes, in western London, and attended Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood. While there he expressed an interest in being an artist, though his art master suggested architecture was a more realistic option. Accordingly, Chadwick became a trainee draughtsman, working first at the offices of architects Donald Hamilton and then Eugen Carl Kauffman, and finally for Rodney Thomas. Chadwick took great inspiration from Thomas, whose interest in contemporary European architecture and design had a significant effect on his development. His training in architectural drawing was the only formal education he received as an artist. He recalled: "What it taught me was how to compose things, a formal exercise in composition, really, it has nothing to do with the building it represents".
For his figures, Lynn Chadwick mainly used pieces of iron welded together, which, as mobiles, are reminiscent of Calder’s work but as stabiles filled with concrete stand on long legs and resemble a cross between abstract constructs and figurative skeletal beings. As illustrated in his lithographs; Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Study for Sculpture’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Winged Figure’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘The Guards’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Sculptural Forms’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Single Figure’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Standing Figure’.
Lynn Chadwick achieved instant recognition in the 1950s when his objects were awarded numerous prizes (Venice 1956, Padua 1959, Lugano 1960) and were shown at exhibitions of international stature (1952 and 1956 Venice Biennales).
In the mid 1960’s Lynn Chadwick also produced some abstract lithographs; Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Moon Series A’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Untitled Moon Series B’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Abstract Composition’.
Lynn Chadwick received commissions for more monumental sculptures, gradually transforming his rough, often aggressive-looking animal figures into softer, even more sentimental compositions with anthropomorphic features as illustrated in; Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Black Standing Figure’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Standing Figures’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Two Standing Figures’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Two Figures in a landscape’.
While continuing to do standing figures, Lynn Chadwick turned increasingly often to recumbent or seated pairs of figures. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Seated Woman’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Two seated Figures’ 1971. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Sitting Figures’ 1971. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Seated Figure’ 1971. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Anlin’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Two Seated Figures’ 1973. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Seated Figures’ 1973. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed, ‘Seated Figures in Green’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Reclining Figures 1’. And; Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Reclining Couple’.
At home in Lypiatt Park, Gloucestershire, Lynn Chadwick established a sculpture park of his own.
Long since a Commander of the British Empire (1964), Lynn Chadwick was also made an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1985. Although his work was in its heyday in the 1950s, Lynn Chadwick continued to develop his figures within the context of his material idiom until the century closed.
Lynn Chadwick continued developing his lithographs, introducing waves and stripes of colour in the early 1970’s with; Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Two Seated Figures on a Blue Background’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Seated Figures’ 1972 (brown Stripe). Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Reclining Figure on a Green Wave’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Hommage a Picasso’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Hammacher’. Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Seated Figures’ 1972 (green stripe). Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘Green Pyramid’. And; ‘Lynn Chadwick, print, signed ‘two Seated Figures on Blue Stripes.’
By the time Lynn Chadwick died in Stroud, Gloucestershire on 25 April 2003, he was one of the best-known sculptors of the post-war era.