DC/LW/2

DC/LW/2

Item

Designs for the Booker memorial

1982-1985

11 drawing

Eleven drawings or etchings by Laurence Whistler on black paper (each 184mm x 124mm; six landscape, five portrait) being different and evolving designs for the Booker memorial. Most include the same or similar quotations from T S Eliot's Four Quartets and Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich. The designs are identifed by letters and annotated on the back (and in one instance, on the front) by Laurence Whistler, as follows: A An early sketch for Durweston Chancel window. (On the front: "Birds Fireworks Constellations Fountains Butterflies"). B Beginning to develop A. Trying for a landscape inside an old fashioned rose. C Names on leaves, perhaps River of life. D Another shape for Durweston. Landscape rose below. (The image actually appears to show a rose above a landscape, as in E below). E Durweston. Oval again, but landscape below rose. F Attempts at rose and flame. G Salisbury, N. porch. First idea, if light boxes behind windows in doors were allowed. They weren't. Glass 28" high 12" wide. Durweston 13" high 16" wide. 1/8th full size. H Salisbury Cath. Possible alternative for the r.h. panel, because light boxes were ruled out. A simpler design altogether - the landscape - a rose of flourisher [?]. I Salisbury Cath. Possible l.h. panel. Wording in a year [?]. J Salisbury Cath. N. porch. If side sections to the panelled porch were made available, one idea for the l.h. picture. Glass 16" diam. 1/8th full size. K Salisbury. N. porch. Using the full space of four panels (too big here). This was the adopted idea, reduced to 26" x 19". 16 March Roy Spring confirmed 26" x 19" actual size. 1/8th full size. H - K were taken to Sarum for conference with the Dean, Dec 83. He agreed to the use of the porch side-sections, the windowed doors being quite unsuitable for pictures. The memorial commemorates two sisters, Joanna (1939-1976) and Serena (1954-1982) Booker. A memorial was originally planned for the Church of St Nicholas, Durweston, Dorset, where the sisters are buried, but a faculty could not be obtained. By the intervention of Dean Sydney Evans, the memorial, eventually comprising two engraved glass panels, was installed in the North Porch of Salisbury Cathedral and consecrated in 1985. It was moved to its current location in the North Quire Aisle in 1989.

English