Harlesden Methodist Church, London NW10
Address
Harlesden Methodist Church, 25 High Street, NW10 4NETheme
Overview
Lawrence Lee (1909 – 2011) was one of the most distinguished stained glass artists of the 20th century. It is not surprising therefore that a number of contributors chose to include one of his windows in their selections. But there is much more to say and to celebrate about this wonderful artist.
A Theme has therefore been dedicated to the work of Lawrence Lee. The windows highlighted within the Theme have been chosen in conjunction with his son, Stephen Lee, to highlight some of his father’s best work.
A full list of the windows chosen can be found by following the link above or here. There you will also find two papers written by one of his former assistants, Philippa Martin, covering his life and his most famous achievement, the masterminding of the ten nave windows of Coventry Cathedral.
Highlight
North aisle windowArtist, maker and date
Lawrence Lee, 1957Reason for highlighting
As noted above, this window is one of a selection made in conjunction with Lawrence Lee’s son, Stephen Lee.
The following description of the window is by Lawrence Lee
The main inspiration of the design comes from the hymn of Charles Wesley (1707-1788), ‘See how great a flame aspires’. The first verse of which is:
“See how great a flame aspires
Kindled by a spark of grace!
Jesu’s love the nation fires,
Sets the Kingdoms on a blaze.
To bring fire on earth He came,
Kindled in some hearts it is,
Oh that all might catch the flame
All partake the glorious bliss.”
This evangelistic fire I feel to be the heart of Methodism from its birth in the heart-warming in Aldersgate Street. I would like the impact of the design to be a more profound expression of this by reason of its abstract nature as opposed to a superficial piety conjured up by picture-book scenes of early Methodism. Neither the structure of the window nor the stringency of costs allows a pictorial treatment much scope, and in any case I feel the new building asks for something more vital.
In detail I have tried to convey grace and love in the symbol of the cross with a living (green) centre from which the “spark” is emitted; this sign is repeated down to the heart or soul of man at the base, liberating in turn the flame which spreads upwards and throughout the design. The central symbol may also be seen as a kind of sun embracing the orb of the world, while great rays of light blaze out in every direction. In another figure the design may appear as a great flower generated from the seed by the flame of God’s love. Perhaps the best argument for this kind of design rests in the fact that the beholder is free to think his own thoughts into it, whilst the glowing colour transferred by a light outside itself imparts a touch of the “glorious bliss”.
Artist/maker notes
Lawrence Stanley Lee FMGP (1909 – 2011) trained at Kingston Art School and the Royal College of Art before the war. After the war he worked for Martin Travers, and it was Travers’ unexpected death in 1948, which led to Lee forming his own studio. A wide range of commissions followed, including his famous windows at Coventry Cathedral, with Keith New and Geoffrey Clarke, which established his reputation. Lee was also a teacher both formally at the Royal College of Art, and in his studio to a succession of assistants. He was notable in acknowledging the contribution of his assistants by including their initials on windows, along with his own.
Other comments
Lawrence Lee was assisted in the making of the window by Jane Gray née Ross