Geoffrey Clarke
artist · sculptor · visual artist
- November 28, 1924 · Darley Dale
- October 30, 2014
- 89 years
About Geoffrey Clarke
Geoffrey Clarke, 89, British artist.
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Full Biography
|Geoffrey Cyril Petts Clarke RA (28 November 1924 – 30 October 2014) was a British sculptor of ecclesiastical art and maker of stained glass.
Life and work
Clarke was a student of Ronald Grimshaw and attended the Royal College of Art in 1948 after serving in the RAF. He received the silver medal at the Milan Triennale[specify] for a collaboration with the furniture designer, Robin Day.[failed verification] He was part of a group of artists including Lynn Chadwick, Reg Butler and Kenneth Armitage who in 1952 was exhibited in the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. They were described by art critic Herbert Read as "the geometry of fear sculptors". He was commissioned to create the cross of nails for Coventry Cathedral and also worked on three of the nave windows between 1957 and 1962. In 1965 he had a retrospective at The Redfern Gallery, London and his work is also held at the Tate Gallery. Clarke was made a Royal Academician in 1975.
He was the subject of the Shell Film Unit film Cast in a New Mould.
Illustrations of works
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Movement Equivalent On display on the Bedford campus of the University of Bedfordshire.
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Cuthbert Bardsley Cross at Coventry Cathedral, 1962.
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Stained-glass windows at Coventry Cathedral.
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Orion House (formerly Thorn House), St Martin's Lane, London. 1960.
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Lincoln Cathedral stained-glass window
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A Snake In The Orchard, Jesus College, Cambridge
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Stained-glass window at King's Lynn Minster, Norfolk.
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The Crown of Thorns spire, St Michael's Parish Church, Linlithgow, 1964
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Relief (‘Bubble Chamber Tracks’), University of Liverpool, 1968
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Articles & News
- "Geoffrey Clarke obituary"theguardian.com
- "Geoffrey Clarke: Sculptor who delighted in finding new materials and"independent.co.uk
Reported coverage of Geoffrey Clarke; each link opens the original article on the publisher's own site.
Books & Media
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Clarke
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Geoffrey Clarke's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was the British sculptor Geoffrey Clarke born?
- A.30 October 2014
- B.28 November 1924correct
- C.28 November 1948
- D.15 December 1924
Geoffrey Clarke was born on 28 November 1924.
Source: biographical introduction
2.Which educational institution did Geoffrey Clarke attend starting in 1948?
- A.The Redfern Gallery
- B.Royal College of Artcorrect
- C.Coventry Cathedral Academy
- D.Milan Triennale Institute
Geoffrey Clarke attended the Royal College of Art in 1948 after his service in the RAF.
Source: life and work section
3.Geoffrey Clarke received a silver medal at the Milan Triennale for collaborating with which individual?
- A.Herbert Read
- B.Lynn Chadwick
- C.Ronald Grimshaw
- D.Robin Daycorrect
Geoffrey Clarke received the silver medal at the Milan Triennale for a collaboration with furniture designer Robin Day.
Source: life and work section
4.Who was Geoffrey Clarke's teacher before he attended the Royal College of Art?
- A.Ronald Grimshawcorrect
- B.Reg Butler
- C.Kenneth Armitage
- D.Herbert Read
Geoffrey Clarke was a student of Ronald Grimshaw before attending the Royal College of Art.
Source: life and work section
5.In 1952, Geoffrey Clarke was exhibited in the British Pavilion at which major event?
- A.Milan Triennale
- B.Redfern Gallery Exhibition
- C.Venice Biennalecorrect
- D.Tate Gallery Retrospective
Geoffrey Clarke was part of a group exhibited in the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1952.
Source: life and work section
6.Which art critic coined the phrase 'the geometry of fear sculptors' to describe Geoffrey Clarke and his peers?
- A.Reg Butler
- B.Ronald Grimshaw
- C.Herbert Readcorrect
- D.Robin Day
Art critic Herbert Read described Geoffrey Clarke and his group of sculptors as 'the geometry of fear sculptors'.
Source: life and work section
7.Geoffrey Clarke was commissioned to create which specific religious object for Coventry Cathedral?
- A.The main chandelier
- B.The altar stone
- C.The baptismal font
- D.The cross of nailscorrect
Geoffrey Clarke was commissioned to create the cross of nails for Coventry Cathedral.
Source: life and work section
8.During which period did Geoffrey Clarke work on three of the nave windows at Coventry Cathedral?
- A.1924–1930
- B.1957–1962correct
- C.1965–1975
- D.1948–1952
Geoffrey Clarke worked on three of the nave windows of Coventry Cathedral between 1957 and 1962.
Source: life and work section
9.Where did Geoffrey Clarke hold a retrospective of his work in 1965?
- A.The Tate Gallery
- B.The Redfern Gallerycorrect
- C.The Milan Triennale
- D.The Royal College of Art
In 1965, Geoffrey Clarke had a retrospective at The Redfern Gallery in London.
Source: life and work section
10.In what year was Geoffrey Clarke made a Royal Academician?
- A.1962
- B.1975correct
- C.2014
- D.1965
Geoffrey Clarke was made a Royal Academician in 1975.
Source: life and work section
11.What is the title of the film about Geoffrey Clarke produced by the Shell Film Unit?
- A.The Geometry of Fear
- B.Cast in a New Mouldcorrect
- C.The Sculptor's Craft
- D.Modern British Stained Glass
Geoffrey Clarke was the subject of the Shell Film Unit film Cast in a New Mould.
Source: life and work section
12.On what date did Geoffrey Clarke pass away?
- A.30 October 1975
- B.30 October 2014correct
- C.28 November 1924
- D.28 November 2014
Geoffrey Clarke passed away on 30 October 2014.
Source: biographical introduction
13.Geoffrey Clarke is noted as a sculptor of ecclesiastical art and a maker of what other medium?
- A.Bronze furniture
- B.Stained glasscorrect
- C.Stone engravings
- D.Oil paintings
Geoffrey Clarke was a British sculptor of ecclesiastical art and maker of stained glass.
Source: biographical introduction
14.Besides Geoffrey Clarke, which other artist was mentioned as being part of the 'geometry of fear' group?
- A.Ronald Grimshaw
- B.Lynn Chadwickcorrect
- C.Shell Film Unit
- D.Robin Day
Lynn Chadwick was part of the group of artists including Geoffrey Clarke described as the geometry of fear sculptors.
Source: life and work section
15.Which institution currently holds works by Geoffrey Clarke?
- A.The Tate Gallerycorrect
- B.The Milan Triennale
- C.Royal College of Art Archive
- D.Coventry Cathedral Museum
Geoffrey Clarke's work is held at the Tate Gallery.
Source: life and work section
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