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Walter Langcake

January 01, 1970

Walter Langcake (21 February 1889, Warragul, Victoria – 6 June 1967, Frankston, Victoria) was an Australian woodcarver and sculptor, who specialised in ecclesiastical decorative arts.

Walter Langcake
Walter Langcake in the 1920s
Born
Walter Langcake

(1889-02-21)21 February 1889
Warragul, Victoria, Australia
Died6 June 1967(1967-06-06) (aged 78)
Frankston, Victoria, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Known forSculpture; decorative arts
MovementArts and crafts
Eagle lectern carved in wood by Walter Langcake, showing Germanic influence of his training.

He was active between 1912 and the mid-1960s and was one of the last of the classical school of carvers produced in Australia. Many of his commissions adorn major city cathedrals, public buildings and memorials.

His grandfather migrated to Victoria from England in 1852 to prospect in the Castlemaine goldfields. Although Langcake's parents were not artistic, he was apprenticed in his mid-teens to a German immigrant woodcarver. In 1913 he married Elsie Isabel Johnson and they had four daughters; one dying in infancy.

As a young man he took the pledge of the Independent Order of Rechabites, which promoted temperance in Melbourne at the turn of the 20th century. His abstinence was so strict, he refused to enter public houses even for meals.

Langcake was also a lifelong rationalist and became a trusted mentor to the younger anarchist writer Arthur "Bluey" Howells (1907–86), who was involved in the anti-Franco and pacifist movements between the wars. When Langcake's first grandson was born at the outbreak of World War II, he wryly observed "more cannon fodder".

His original Therry st. shopfront studio off Queen Victoria Market was the unusual setting for informal gatherings of Melbourne's radicals and progressives. By the mid-30s, Langcake's business was successful enough for him to move into more upmarket premises in the Queen Street Law Chambers building.

He specialised in near life-sized figures of Christ on the cross, eagle lecterns, cathedra, bas reliefs, commemorative plaques and coats of arms, but could also produce charmingly informal works, often decorative castings for hotels or unique private commissions, adorned with Australiana flora and fauna. Langcake frequently worked with the prolific church architect Louis R. Williams on major projects around Australia.

He was entrusted to sculpt unique heritage logs of exceptional age (greater than 1,000 years), beauty, circumference or cultural significance. He often sourced his exotic wood from North Queensland old-growth forests.

Langcake was also skilled in all aspects of cabinetry; creating fine articles of carved wooden furniture. His technique for alloy pieces was creation in wood and realization in cast metal, usually bronze (e.g. the Australian American War Memorial wreath).

During the 1940s he also taught woodcarving to trade students at Collingwood Technical School. Howells praised his artistry as a true sculptor in wood.

Life-sized figure of Christ for altar, 1937, St. Thomas Aquinas' Church, Sth Yarra, Vic.

In the early 1960s Langcake moved from inner Melbourne to Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula to live next to one of his daughters. His modest workshop full of wood shavings, jars of preserved insects or the odd snake, and old copies of Australian Walkabout magazine for inspiration, was built at the back of his house. He died in his sleep of a heart attack in 1967.

Representative works edit

Some of his major known works on public display include:

References edit

  • Howells, Arthur F. Against the Stream: the memoirs of a philosophical anarchist, 1927–1939. Hyland House, Melbourne 1983.
  • The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Victoria): Saturday, 21 February 1937, Wood Carvers Must be in the Mood.
  • The Argus (Australia) [defunct newspaper] (Melbourne, Victoria): Monday, 27 March 1939, p. 2, Memorials Dedicated at Armadale Presbyterian Church.
  • Anglican Cathedral Church of St. Alban the Martyr, Griffith, New South Wales, A Guided Tour of the Cathedral.
  • Arthur Fenton Howells Collection (1932–57), Accession No. 2003.0024, The University of Melbourne Archives, Historical Note and Inventory List, 2/3 – C Correspondence, items 3,4 & 7, letters to Walter Langcake, 1937.
  • Hali, Anam. Come See the Enchanting National Gallery of Victoria. 14 October 2011, London, TravelHouse UK News.
  • Andrews, Brian. Australian Gothic: the Gothic revival in Australian architecture from the 1840s to the 1950s, 2001.
  • Landmarks—Australian American War Memorial, CabBerra magazine, Issue #7, April 2013, p. 24
  • Townsville Daily Bulletin [Qld defunct newspaper]: Tuesday, 20 May 1952, p. 2, N.Q. Cedar for Bishop's Throne.
  • Wally Langcake entry and image of "The Pelican in Her Piety", Australian Anglican Historical Images – Fittings – Post World War II.
  • SA Virtual War Memorial, Returned & Services League of Australia, SA Branch website, entry and image of Brighton memorial 02 at St. Jude's Anglican Church.
  • The Argus (Melb. Vic): Monday, 20 December 1852, p. 5, an account of the Thorwaldsen incident at sea.
  • Victorian Electoral Rolls – Castlemaine & District (Carisbrook, 14 May 1856), Thomas Read Langcake's listing as miner.
  • Australia Birth Index, 1788–1922: Walter Langcake entry.
  • Australia Marriage Index, 1788–1950: Walter Langcake and Isabel Elsie Johnson. 1913 – Victoria.
  • 1924 Australian Electoral Roll: Entry for Langcake, Walter, Scott st., Cheltenham, carver. M.

January 01, 1970
walter, langcake, february, 1889, warragul, victoria, june, 1967, frankston, victoria, australian, woodcarver, sculptor, specialised, ecclesiastical, decorative, arts, 1920sborn, 1889, february, 1889warragul, victoria, australiadied6, june, 1967, 1967, aged, f. Walter Langcake 21 February 1889 Warragul Victoria 6 June 1967 Frankston Victoria was an Australian woodcarver and sculptor who specialised in ecclesiastical decorative arts Walter LangcakeWalter Langcake in the 1920sBornWalter Langcake 1889 02 21 21 February 1889Warragul Victoria AustraliaDied6 June 1967 1967 06 06 aged 78 Frankston Victoria AustraliaNationalityAustralianKnown forSculpture decorative artsMovementArts and crafts Eagle lectern carved in wood by Walter Langcake showing Germanic influence of his training He was active between 1912 and the mid 1960s and was one of the last of the classical school of carvers produced in Australia Many of his commissions adorn major city cathedrals public buildings and memorials His grandfather migrated to Victoria from England in 1852 to prospect in the Castlemaine goldfields Although Langcake s parents were not artistic he was apprenticed in his mid teens to a German immigrant woodcarver In 1913 he married Elsie Isabel Johnson and they had four daughters one dying in infancy As a young man he took the pledge of the Independent Order of Rechabites which promoted temperance in Melbourne at the turn of the 20th century His abstinence was so strict he refused to enter public houses even for meals Langcake was also a lifelong rationalist and became a trusted mentor to the younger anarchist writer Arthur Bluey Howells 1907 86 who was involved in the anti Franco and pacifist movements between the wars When Langcake s first grandson was born at the outbreak of World War II he wryly observed more cannon fodder His original Therry st shopfront studio off Queen Victoria Market was the unusual setting for informal gatherings of Melbourne s radicals and progressives By the mid 30s Langcake s business was successful enough for him to move into more upmarket premises in the Queen Street Law Chambers building He specialised in near life sized figures of Christ on the cross eagle lecterns cathedra bas reliefs commemorative plaques and coats of arms but could also produce charmingly informal works often decorative castings for hotels or unique private commissions adorned with Australiana flora and fauna Langcake frequently worked with the prolific church architect Louis R Williams on major projects around Australia He was entrusted to sculpt unique heritage logs of exceptional age greater than 1 000 years beauty circumference or cultural significance He often sourced his exotic wood from North Queensland old growth forests Langcake was also skilled in all aspects of cabinetry creating fine articles of carved wooden furniture His technique for alloy pieces was creation in wood and realization in cast metal usually bronze e g the Australian American War Memorial wreath During the 1940s he also taught woodcarving to trade students at Collingwood Technical School Howells praised his artistry as a true sculptor in wood Life sized figure of Christ for altar 1937 St Thomas Aquinas Church Sth Yarra Vic In the early 1960s Langcake moved from inner Melbourne to Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula to live next to one of his daughters His modest workshop full of wood shavings jars of preserved insects or the odd snake and old copies of Australian Walkabout magazine for inspiration was built at the back of his house He died in his sleep of a heart attack in 1967 Representative works editSome of his major known works on public display include nbsp Coat of arms on gates of the Royal Melbourne Mint nbsp The Pelican in Her Piety timber panel bas relief 1959 St John s Church Camberwell Vic nbsp Bronze wreath at base of Australian American War Memorial Canberra nbsp Entrance sign of the National Gallery of Victoria St Kilda Road Melbourne nbsp Langcake finishing the Aquinas figure opposite Coat of arms on gates of old Royal Melbourne Mint crn William and Latrobe Street Wreath at base of Australian American War Memorial Canberra Baptismal font cover St Paul s Cathedral Melbourne Stations of the Cross St Patrick s Cathedral Melbourne National Gallery of Victoria front entrance lettering above the moat St Kilda Road Life sized figure of Christ in Queensland beech wood 1937 that surmounts the reredos of the altar in St Thomas Aquinas Church South Yarra Victoria Carved mitre relief panel of eagle on a lectern and St Alban s shield Anglican Cathedral Church of St Alban the Martyr Griffith New South Wales Two Queensland black bean wood memorials with ecclesiastical emblems Presbyterian Church of Armadale Victoria Bishop s throne St James Cathedral Townsville Queensland The Pelican in Her Piety timber panel bas relief 1959 St John s Anglican Church Camberwell Victoria Shire of Hastings Coat of arms Hastings Victoria Lectern St Paul s Anglican Church Frankston Lectern St Luke s Church Frankston Original communion table and pew end carvings St Andrew s Church Frankston Pew ends carved with ships badges of the Royal Australian Navy St Mark s chapel HMAS Cerberus Crib Point Victoria Pew ends decorated with Australian animals and birds chapel former Burwood Boys Home Burwood Victoria 1939 1945 War Memorial Panel surmounted by cabinet with Christ figure on the cross the Lady chapel of St Jude s Anglican Church Brighton South Australia Australian Army memorial gate plaques dedicated to 1st Division of United States Marine Corps following the Battle of Guadalcanal outside former Balcombe Army Base Mount Martha Victoria now entrance to Mace oval and on display in reception area of Mt Martha House Community Center References editHowells Arthur F Against the Stream the memoirs of a philosophical anarchist 1927 1939 Hyland House Melbourne 1983 The Sun News Pictorial Melbourne Victoria Saturday 21 February 1937 Wood Carvers Must be in the Mood The Argus Australia defunct newspaper Melbourne Victoria Monday 27 March 1939 p 2 Memorials Dedicated at Armadale Presbyterian Church Anglican Cathedral Church of St Alban the Martyr Griffith New South Wales A Guided Tour of the Cathedral Arthur Fenton Howells Collection 1932 57 Accession No 2003 0024 The University of Melbourne Archives Historical Note and Inventory List 2 3 C Correspondence items 3 4 amp 7 letters to Walter Langcake 1937 Hali Anam Come See the Enchanting National Gallery of Victoria 14 October 2011 London TravelHouse UK News Andrews Brian Australian Gothic the Gothic revival in Australian architecture from the 1840s to the 1950s 2001 Landmarks Australian American War Memorial CabBerra magazine Issue 7 April 2013 p 24 Townsville Daily Bulletin Qld defunct newspaper Tuesday 20 May 1952 p 2 N Q Cedar for Bishop s Throne Wally Langcake entry and image of The Pelican in Her Piety Australian Anglican Historical Images Fittings Post World War II SA Virtual War Memorial Returned amp Services League of Australia SA Branch website entry and image of Brighton memorial 02 at St Jude s Anglican Church The Argus Melb Vic Monday 20 December 1852 p 5 an account of the Thorwaldsen incident at sea Victorian Electoral Rolls Castlemaine amp District Carisbrook 14 May 1856 Thomas Read Langcake s listing as miner Australia Birth Index 1788 1922 Walter Langcake entry Australia Marriage Index 1788 1950 Walter Langcake and Isabel Elsie Johnson 1913 Victoria 1924 Australian Electoral Roll Entry for Langcake Walter Scott st Cheltenham carver M Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Langcake amp oldid 1179520830, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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