Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003)
Cloaked Figure IX
1978, bronze
Born in London in 1914, Lynn Chadwick initially trained as an architectural draughtsman before
establishing himself as one of Britain’s most significant post-war sculptors. These early
architectural beginnings had an enormous influence on the artist's style and innovative approach to
creating sculpture. After his war-time service as a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm in 1939, Chadwick
decided to focus on his interest in art and design.
Chadwick's career took off in the 1950s and in 1951 Chadwick was commissioned to produce three
works for the Festival of Britain exhibition. In 1952 his prominence on the art scene continued to
rise when he took part in the New Aspects of British Sculpture exhibition in Venice with artists such
as Reg Butler, William Turnbull and Eduardo Paolozzi. Four years later Chadwick won the
International Prize for Sculpture at the Biennale in 1956. A prize winner in The Unknown Political
Prisoner Sculpture Competition in 1953, along with his success as the Biennale confirmed his
position as a leader of the 'Geometry of Fear' movement.
His early work consisted of abstract mobiles and his first mobile was shown at the Building Trades
Exhibition in 1947. In 1950 Gimpel Fils held his first solo exhibition. Chadwick was self-trained and
was extremely skilled in handling metal. His work became primarily figurative, later evolving into
recognisable simplified human figures with the female head reduced to a triangle, legs straight and
spike-like in appearance and drapery executed as if a flowing form or enveloping cloak.
Chadwick’s method of fabrication is fascinating. The construction of armatures made up of welded
tetrahedrons are then filled in with a compound called stolit which is a stone compound of gypsum
and iron filings applied like plaster, creating a geometry of flat planes and sharp contours.
Chadwick was made a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1964, and a
French Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1985. He died at Lypiatt Park, Gloucestershire
on 25 April 2003
Jacquiline Creswell, Arts Advisor for the Cathedral says: ‘For me, Cloaked Figure IX, has enormous
presence. She evokes images of cardinals and other ecclesiastic figures as she makes her way
majestically toward the huge west doors. It is an implied movement, her enveloping, protective
cloak draping behind, her pyramidal head held high surveying her new surroundings. This life-size
entity in the Close will be a new member in our rolling arts programme and our intention is to take
this opportunity to get people involved using this iconic sculpture as a focus for community
engagement.’
As chair of the Arts Advisory Committee, Canon Treasurer Sarah Mullally comments: ‘We are
delighted to be able to host Cloaked Figure IX by Lynn Chadwick. In this piece Chadwick
demonstrates his enormous skills as a welder and artist in using a metal skin fixed over a skeleton
of steel rods giving this figure form and great movement across the Close. As it moves toward the
Cathedral our sense of place is challenged and its presence encourages us to examine our
relationship not just with the figure but with others we find around us.’
The sculpture is on long term loan from OsborneSamuel Gallery, London.