Googling Theodor Kern’s name yesterday, I came across a work by the artist that I’d never seen before. In his biography of Kern, Karl Heinz Ritschel mentions that, in the post-war period, the artist was often commissioned by leading British architects to decorate the new churches they were building. As Ritschel writes (my translation), ‘the breadth of his work resulted in these commissions, because Theodor Kern was able to paint the churches, create the stained glass windows, and even sketch the furniture, and could make sculptures from stone, artificial stone, alabaster, bronze and wood.’ Among the architects for whom Kern worked were some famous names, most notably Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, best known for iconic works like Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral, Battersea Power Station and the ubiquitous red telephone box.

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (via en.wikipedia.org)

In his catalogue of Kern’s public works, Ernst Ziegeleder includes under ‘sculptures’ (‘Plastiken’) a reference…