Sir Bertram Mackennal was born in Melbourne in 1863. He originally received his education from his father, John Simpson Mackennal, before enrolling in the School of Design in Melbourne from 1878 to 1882. In 1883 he moved to London to study at the British Museum before gaining a place at the Royal Academy. However, the young sculptor soon felt trapped by the academic teaching methods of the Academy and at nineteen years of age he decided to abandon his studies and set up a studio for himself. He focused on visiting studios of several leading sculptors, both in Britain and abroad, to expose himself to their techniques and to further educate himself independently.

In 1889 Mackennal gained his first major commission after winning a competition to decorate the Government House of Victoria in his native Australia. He returned to his home country and spent two years working on the project. Upon his return to Europe, Mackennal began exhibiting at the Paris Salon and at the Royal Academy. In 1893 his Circe created controversy in London for its sensual subject matter. In 1910, Mackennal was awarded the commissions to design the coronation coin of George V and the tomb of King Edward VII, two projects which accelerated his career. He received commissions for various statues of Edward VII to be displayed across the British Empire, as well as other memorials for military academies and government buildings.

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