Sunday, July 06, 2008

re-photographing gilbert bayes in shaftesbury avenue (i)

i went back to photograph gilbert bayes' freize at the old saville theatre, this time with a tripod and a longer lens, so that i could work from across the street and produce a set with something approaching the original continuity of his design
















i've only just discovered that the panels on the london fire brigade HQ are by the same artist

http://emotionalblackmailers.blogspot.com/2007/11/fire-station-in-lambeth.html

re-photographing gilbert bayes in shaftesbury avenue (ii)




Saturday, July 05, 2008

yet another little bit of local colour




like a dog chasing it's own "tale"





i'm still looking for clues about who commissioned maurice lambert's grotesque carvings for AEI ...

but when i googled the obvious search criteria, all i got was me !

Friday, July 04, 2008

more about maurice lambert

there isn't much written about maurice lambert ... perhaps because not much of his work is memorable

















the main book, by vanessa nicolson, is excellently illustrated and researched ... but she sticks to the facts and so she doesn't really ask the question i need to answer ...

how did maurice go from being that sweet baby to becoming a part-time or temporary pornographer of [post-war/cold-war/state-sponsored?] violence ?

and which holder of the purse-strings commissioned the work on behalf of associated electrical industries, and how far was it's confrontational subject matter discussed ?























maybe vanessa nicolson's single paragraph about maurice lambert's war-time experience gives us a tenuous clue to his own attitude














































... and maybe the following article, which popped up when i googled "corporate cold war art", might help to give some perspective to the nature of this commission ...

http://libcom.org/history/articles/cultural-cold-war/

some gilbert bayes nymphs in the V&A




"the unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable"



a rarther frivverless old joanna ... designed by burne-jones



did they mop their gravy with bread, or just lick the plate ?


sometimes the day starts well ...



Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Monday, June 30, 2008

on the north side of a private chapel in the home counties




on the south side of a private chapel in the home counties





in a private chapel in the home counties














Here lies the Body of JOHN EVELYN Esq of this place, second son of RICHARD EVELYN Esq who having served the Publick in several employments of which that Commissioner of the Privy Seal in the reign of King James the 2nd was most Honourable: and perpetuated his fame by far more lasting Monuments than those of Stone, or Brass: his Learned and useful works, fell asleep the 27th day of February 1705/6 being the 86th Year of his age in full hope of a glorious resurrection thro faith in Jesus Christ. Living in an age of extraordinary events, and revolutions he learnt (as himself asserted) this truth which pursuant to his intention is here declared.
That all is vanity which is not honest and that there's no solid Wisdom but in real piety.

Of five Sons and three Daughters borne to him from his most vertuous and excellent Wife MARY sole daughter, and heiress of Sir RICHARD BROWNE of Sayes Court near Deptford in Kent onely one Daughter SUSANNA married to WILLIAM DRAPER Esq of Adscomb in this County survived him the two others dying in the flower of their age, and all the sons very young except one nam'd John who deceased 24 March 1698/9 in the 45th year of his age, leaving one son JOHN and one daughter ELIZABETH.

i've kept this picture in one of my scrapbooks for nearly forty years


Sunday, June 29, 2008

faith, hope, love ... the guiding virtues of queen alexandra


marlborovgh road


"do i dare to eat a peach ?"


a bit of local colour ... in the garden wall of saint james' palace


on the hour, mister fortnum and mister mason emerge to look around, mister mason glances at mr fortnum, and then mister fortnum nods approvingly



in the courtyard of saint james' church on piccadilly



exuberant divers above cove street by piccadilly circus


gilbert bayes' freize for the saville theatre, 135 shaftesbury avenue











http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/SavilleTheatre.htm
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/911/

gilbert bayes' saville theatre freize ... extreme left


gilbert bayes' saville theatre ... left




gilbert bayes' saville theatre freize ... middle





gilbert bayes' saville theatre freize ... right