Richard Knecht was a German sculptor and painter born in Tübingen on January 25, 1887, who studied at the Munich Art Academy from 1906 to 1914. During his studies, he learned about various art styles, including German Gothic, Italian Renaissance, and the works of Auguste Rodin and Aristide Maillol. In 1913, he made his debut at the Great Art Exhibition in Stuttgart with a bust of his father, which was purchased by the state. In 1914, he was commissioned by Franz von Stuck to model his Fighting Amazon sculpture. Knecht was awarded the title of professor in 1929 and became an honorary member of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1934.
Knecht was also a member of the NSDAP and was commissioned to design pageants on the Day of German Art in 1933 and from 1937 to 1939, along with Hermann Kaspar. In 1942, he became a full professor of sculpture in Munich at the request of German Bestelmeyer. However, after the war, Knecht was stripped of his professorial title due to his involvement with the Nazi regime. Despite this, he was named an honorary member of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1949. Knecht was also a long-time member of the Munich Secession and its jury at the Haus der Kunst.
He died in Munich on August 14, 1966, and was buried in Munich's North Cemetery.