Bronze
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Contemporary Art Society
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/eric-kennington-1399" aria-label="More by Eric Kennington" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Eric Kennington</a>
Head TE Lawrence
Presented by The Studio and the Contemporary Art Society 1943
adults
body
head / face
individuals: male
Lawrence, Thomas Edward, Colonel, ‘of Arabia’
man
military
named individuals
people
portraits
soldier
work and occupations
<p>A colonel in the British army, TE Lawrence (1888-1935) spent the First World War fighting with the Arabs against the Turks. He gained fame as Lawrence of Arabia, especially after the publication of his  epic account of the Arab rebellion,  Seven Pillars of Wisdom.</p><p>In 1920, after three years as an Official War Artist, Kennington went to Arabia  to illustrate the book. Lawrence described this bust as 'Magnificent; there is no other word for it. It represents not me but my top moments, those few seconds when  I succeed in thinking myself right out  of things.'</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
sculpture bronze
6 August 2001 – 30 March 2003
2003-03-30
6 August 2001 – 30 March 2003
2003-03-30
2001-08-06
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2001-08-06
War and Memory
Collection based display
Head of T.E. Lawrence
object: 413 × 425 × 254 mm
Presented by The Studio and the <a href="/search?gid=999999975" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Contemporary Art Society</a> 1943
<p>
A colonel in the British army, TE Lawrence (1888-1935) spent the First World War fighting with the Arabs against the Turks. He gained fame as Lawrence of Arabia, especially after the publication of his <br/>
epic account of the Arab rebellion, <br/>
Seven Pillars of Wisdom. </p>
<p>
In 1920, after three years as an Official <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/w/war-artists" title="Glossary definition for 'War Artists'"><span>War Artist</span></a>, Kennington went to Arabia <br/>
to illustrate the book. Lawrence described this bust as 'Magnificent; there is no other word for it. It represents not me but my top moments, those few seconds when <br/>
I succeed in thinking myself right out <br/>
of things.' </p>
Display caption
2004-09-08T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05438</b> HEAD OF T. E. LAWRENCE 1926
<br/> 
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Bronze, 16 1/4×16 3/4×10 (41×42·5×25·5).
<br/>Presented by the <i>Studio</i> in conjunction with the Contemporary Art Society 1943.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> New York World Fair 1939 (4).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> David Garnett (ed.), <i>Letters of T. E. Lawrence</i>, 1938, pp.507–9; William Rothenstein, <i>Since Fifty</i>, 1939, p.266.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>C.A.S. Report 1942–3</i>, 1944, facing p.38; T. E. Lawrence, <i>Seven Pillars of Wisdom</i>, 1935, frontispiece (probably from the plaster).</p>
<p>Modelled partly from life and partly from <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawings</span></a> in December 1926, it was chosen by Lawrence's mother and brother for the Crypt of St Paul's. There are three further casts of this head in <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/metal" title="Glossary definition for 'Metal'"><span>bronze</span></a> or brass, one in the music room at Lawrence's cottage, Clouds Hill, Moreton, Dorset, presented to the National Trust by R. V. Buxton, one sold in America, and one <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/cast" title="Glossary definition for 'Cast'"><span>cast</span></a> in gilded brass exhibited at the Leicester Galleries, February 1927 (81).</p>
<p>See also Kennington, <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kennington-reclining-figure-of-t-e-lawrence-replica-n06230" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N06230</span></a>. Sir William Rothenstein (<i>loc. cit.</i>) wrote: ‘Kennington was devoting himself to Lawrence's glorification - for him Lawrence was the perfect man who could do no wrong.’ Lawrence himself described the bust (<i>loc. cit.</i>) as ‘magnificent; there is no other word for it. It represents not me but my top moments, those few seconds when I succeed in thinking myself right out of things.’</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, I
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-07T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults body head / face individuals: male Lawrence, Thomas Edward, Colonel, ‘of Arabia’ man military named individuals people portraits soldier work and occupations