Lee Lawrie Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lee Oscar Lawrie

Born	(1877-10-16)October 16, 1877 Rixdorf, Germany
Died	January 23, 1963(1963-01-23) (aged 85) Easton, Maryland, United States
Nationality	German-American
Alma mater	Yale University
Known for	Sculptor
Notable work	Atlas in collaboration with Rene Paul Chambellan
Style	Gothic, Beaux-Arts, Classicism, Art Deco

Lawrie's Atlas in Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Lee Oscar Lawrie (born October 16, 1877 – died January 23, 1963) was a very important American sculptor. He created amazing sculptures for buildings. He is known as one of the top architectural sculptors in the United States before World War II.

During his long career, he made over 300 sculptures! His style changed over time, from Gothic to Art Deco.

He created a large sculpture called a frieze on the Nebraska State Capitol building. This frieze shows important moments, like the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. He also made his most famous work, the huge bronze statue of Atlas. This statue was put up in 1937 at New York City's Rockefeller Center.

Lawrie's art can be seen on many famous buildings across the United States. His style changed as building styles changed. He worked on buildings that were Beaux-Arts, neo-Gothic, and Art Deco. Many of his sculptures were for buildings designed by Bertram Goodhue. These include the chapel at West Point, the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles Public Library. He also made sculptures for the Library of Congress and the Washington National Cathedral.

Early Life and Training
Working with Famous Architects
- Key Projects with Goodhue
Later Works
- Rockefeller Center
- Other Important Projects
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Training

Reredos of Saint Thomas Church in New York City.

Lee Lawrie was born in Rixdorf, Germany, in 1877. When he was a young child in 1882, his family moved to the United States. They settled in Chicago. There, at just 14 years old, he started working for a sculptor named Richard Henry Park.

In 1892, when he was 15, Lawrie helped many sculptors in Chicago. They were building the "White City" for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. After this big project, Lawrie moved East. He became an assistant to William Ordway Partridge. Over the next ten years, he worked with other famous sculptors. These included Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Alexander Phimister Proctor.

His work at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904 was very important. He worked under Karl Bitter, who was a leading architectural sculptor. This helped Lawrie improve his skills and become well-known.

Lawrie earned a degree in fine arts from Yale University in 1910. He taught at Yale's School of Fine Arts from 1908 to 1919. He also taught architecture at Harvard University from 1910 to 1912.

Working with Famous Architects

Lawrie worked closely with architects Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Goodhue. These partnerships helped him become one of the top architectural sculptors in the U.S. After Cram and Goodhue's company split up in 1914, Lawrie kept working with Goodhue. He continued to work with Goodhue's team even after Goodhue passed away in 1924.

Lawrie created many sculptures for El Fureidis, a large estate in Montecito, California. Goodhue designed this estate. The sculptures show scenes from the Arthurian Legends. They are still there today.

His work on the Nebraska State Capitol and the Los Angeles Public Library is very special. The sculptures are a big part of the buildings' design and meaning. Many people believe his work with Goodhue is the best example of architectural sculpture in American history.

Lawrie was a consultant for the 1933-34 Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago. He was also a member of important art groups. These included the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He won many awards, including medals from the American Institute of Architects. He also received an honorary degree from Yale University. He served on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C., which looks after public art.

Key Projects with Goodhue

Reliefs at the Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library.

Lawrie's work at Rockefeller Chapel, University of Chicago, around 1929.

Here are some of the important buildings Lawrie worked on with Bertram Goodhue:

Marble reliefs above the windows of the Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (1902).
Chapel at West Point, New York.
Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City.
Pulpit and Lectern carvings at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church.
Reredos (a screen behind an altar) at Saint Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Los Angeles Public Library in Los Angeles, California.
National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C..
Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago.
Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Later Works

Rockefeller Center

Wisdom, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

After Goodhue passed away, Lawrie created very famous works at Rockefeller Center in New York City. He worked with Raymond Hood and Rene Paul Chambellan.

Lawrie's most famous work is the Atlas statue. It stands freely on Fifth Avenue at Rockefeller Center. The entire statue is 45 feet tall! The human figure holding the armillary sphere is 15 feet tall. This statue is a great example of Art Deco style.

Another important piece is Wisdom, located above the entrance to 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It is one of the most visible artworks in the complex. This Art Deco piece shows power, just like Atlas and Paul Manship's Prometheus.