Lee Lawrie’s Christ in Majesty or sometimes the “Majestus”, is the Western Christian image of Christ seated on a throne as ruler of the world. The image develops from Early Christian Art as described in the Apocalypse of John.
The Full Size Model
The Ardolino extended stone carving family likely carved this sculpture. The general contractor employed them on the west front at this time
Lee Oskar Lawrie (1877 – 1963)
The work of sculptor Lee Lawrie is associated with some of America’s most noted buildings of the first half of the Twentieth Century. Lawrie’s style evolved through modern Gothic to Beaux-Arts and finally in to Moderne or Art Deco. He created the mighty Atlas at Rockefeller Center and sculpted the highly dramatic facade of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. His largest commission, the Nebraska State Capitol sculptures, remains one of his most creative. Lawrie taught sculpture at Yale and Harvard.
At the age of 14, Lee became a studio assistant to Chicago sculptor Henry H. Park. Shortly thereafter, he got a job at the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition. From there he worked for a number of world-class sculptors including Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In 1895 he approached Bertram Goodhue of Cram and Goodhue and with his demonstrated skills was hired.
Lawrie’s collaborations with Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Goodhue brought him to the forefront of architectural sculptors in the United States. After the breakup of the Cram, Goodhue firm he remained a favorite of Cram; however, Lawrie continued to work mostly with Goodhue.
Lawrie created a great deal of sacred art in all of Goodhue’s churches in NYC and beyond. Goodhue and Lawrie worked on more than a hundred buildings including St. Thomas church on 5th Avenue where Lawrie sculpted the famous reredos.
The Cathedral Commission
The Cathedral commission was much larger in scope than the creation of the Majestus sculpture. It involved modeling statuary for the main portal, the work that was eventually done by direct carver Simon Verity. Why the statues were never executed is still a bit of a mystery, but we talk about most of the facts of the matter next time.
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- We are Grateful to Wayne Kempton, Diocesan Archivist, for the information and the images of Lee Lawrie’s models.
2 replies on “Lee Lawrie’s Christ in Majesty”
Vey interesting, Never came across the name Lawrie before. Quite a resume for a relatively unknown sculptor. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
It is interesting and fun to note all the changes between Lawrie’s
final full sized clay and what was eventually carved.