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Leonard Walker

Leonard Walker
Born10 March 1877
London, England
Died13 June 1964(1964-06-13) (aged 87)
London, England
OccupationPainter

Leonard Walker RBA RE RI (10 March 1877 – 13 June 1964) was a British painter and stained glass designer.[1][2] His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics.[3]

Biography

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Walker was a student at St John's Wood Art School,[4] and would later teach and become Principal there.[5][6] Walker was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1913, of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers in 1915 and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours,[4] and exhibited at Walker Art Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts[7] and the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.[5] His work, A Bowl of Roses, was described by The Studio:[8]

...an instructive example of the manner in which an unpretending subject can be dignified by sound craftsman and artistic resource. The artist's quietly confident draftsmanship and agreeable management of subdued yet effective colour give significance to a piece of work which in less able hands might easily have been trivial

His work as a stained glass artist was described in Modern Glass by Guillaume Janneau as:[9]

The London artist has a remarkable gift for dramatic design. His "lead" outlines, which skilfully enhance the colours they frame, participate with amazing certainty in the general movement of the composition

Walker collaborated with Gilbert Bayes, on Bayes' first commission at Aldeburgh Church in Suffolk.[10] He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers[11] The Victoria and Albert Museum have a collection of Walker's work,[12] while examples of his windows can be seen at All Saints, East Tuddenham, Norfolk,[13] St Ethelburga's Bishopsgate, London[14] and the East window at St Peter & St Paul, Tonbridge's Parish Church, which Gordon Rowe in The Daily Telegraph in 1955 described it as:[15]

to me this window is more than an unusually beautiful creation. It unfolds its message with a heartfelt prayer

His later glass work was executed by James Powell and Sons.[16] In 1930, he presented The Future of Stained Glass at the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels moderne.[17]

In 1939, Walker was selected as one of the artists to work on the National Gallery's project "Recording Britain:the changing face of Britain" established by Sir Kenneth Clark, with "Foundling Hospital, London" being one of his contributions.[18][19] He was elected the Master of the Art Workers' Guild in 1950,[5] previously being Master of the Junior Art Workers' Guild in 1905.[20] Walker was married to fellow artist Aileen Hollely[21] and his uncle was Frederick Walker.[22]

In 2014, the Stained Glass Museum, Ely, held an exhibition of Walker's work.[23]

List of Works

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References

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  1. ^ "Panel 1913 (made)". V & A. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. ^ Walker, Leonard. 31 October 2011. doi:10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.B00193821. ISBN 978-0-19-977378-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ "Leonard Walker". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b "The Studio". 91 (397). 1926: xix. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ a b c "Leonard Walker". The British Museum. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  6. ^ The Year's Art. 1919. p. 136.
  7. ^ "Exhibitor Index". Chronicle 250. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  8. ^ Авторов, Коллектив (9 July 2021). "The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art : vol. 69-72". Litres. ISBN 9785043551436. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  9. ^ Janneau. G (1931). Modern Glass. p. 41.
  10. ^ "Bayes and the Arts and Crafts Movement". Gilbert Bayes. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Glaziers History 1919 to 1999" (PDF). Worshipful Company of Glaziers. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Leonard Walker". V & A. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  13. ^ "All Saints, East Tuddenham". Norfolk Churches. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  14. ^ Wittich. J (1988). Churches, Cathedrals and Chapels. Gracewing. p. 34. ISBN 9781850744474.
  15. ^ "The East Window". Tonbridge Parish Church. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Leonard Walker (1879-1965)". Stained Glass in Wales - University of Wales. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  17. ^ Walker. L (1930). The Future of Stained Glass.
  18. ^ "Foundling Hospital". V & A. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Book review: Recording Britain". Country Life. 4 November 2011.
  20. ^ The Year's Art. 1906. p. 143.
  21. ^ The Women's Who's Who. 1934. p. 385.
  22. ^ Walkley. Giles (1993). Artists' Houses in London 1764-1914. Scolar Press. p. 247. ISBN 9780859679626.
  23. ^ "Leonard Walker (1877-1964): A Glass World". Stained Glass Museum. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  24. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2025.