Temple Church, London EC4
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Temple Church, Temple, London EC4Y 7BBRecommended by
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Three light east windowArtist, maker and date
Carl Edwards, 1954Reason for highlighting
During a visit to Temple Church on my first ever stained glass conference, Tony Benyon explained the importance of separating red and blue glass with thin slivers of white to stop the eye from forming a muddy purple. He also drew attention to the use of various widths of lead that Carl Edwards employed to emphasise the linear painting. Hardly any tone was used on the thick slab glass so it could be fired just once. Some of the many pieces of glass in the border are just an inch square. The overall effect is a mosaic-like wall of glass that glows in jewel colours.
Artist/maker notes
Carl Johannes Edwards (Kiviaho) 1914-1985 was born in London to Finnish parents. He joined James Powell & Sons in 1928, and became assistant to the chief designer, James Hogan, in 1936, before succeeding him in 1948. In 1952 he set up his own studio, briefly with Hugh Powell. The studio relocated to The Glass House in 1972, where he took over the firm of Lowndes & Drury.
Source: Benyon Stained Glass website
Other comments
I especially like the continuity of style in the windows made for the Temple Church by Carl Edwards’ daughter, Caroline Benyon, together with her husband, Tony, half a century later. In particular, the Lewer window (2008) up in the tower uses the same graphic line and intensity of colour that Caroline learnt from her farther. To see the evolving stained glass linage in one building in the heart of London is a real treat.
Also of special interest is a The Quatercentenary window, also made by Caroline & Tony Benyon. It was installed in 2008 to commemorate the grant of the land to the Inner and Middle Temple, two of London’s four Inns of Court, to which all barristers in England & Wales belong.