19th December 2017
Santas at Bushey Station on their way to the Santa Race, South bank, London
2017 GOOD YEAR FOR BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY
There have been a number of exciting discoveries this year and the latest of them is right on my doorstep.
Archaeologists of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust have just uncovered the relics of Abbot John of Wheathampstead, who died in 1465, at St Albans Abbey. The find is reported in The Herts Advertiser (Thursday 14 December 2017) by Matt.Adams@archant.co.uk.
Abbot John is of special interest here because he was 'of Wheathampstead' which is just north of St Albans so he was a local man. As an Abbot he was of national and international renown. His remains are identified by the discovery alongside him of a collection of seals, also known as papal bulls, issued by Pope Martin V (1417-1431). Early in his career Abbot John secured three special privileges for his monastery at an audience with Pope Martin and was remembered thereafter for his success in negotiating with the Papal Court, hence the bulls were buried with him. It is possible that his grave also marks the site of the chapel he had built.
Abbot John is a little late for my period of interest (5th - 10th century AD) but the discovery of his remains is an important find for the history of the late mediaeval Abbey.
'I must go down to the sea again
To the lonely sea and the sky'
John Masefield of course. We all learnt it at school. We Brits are an island race and so we love our seascapes. Apart from a couple of sketchy watercolours of Margate Sands and Hastings Pier (which subsequently burnt down - nothing to do with me Guv) I have not hitherto done any seascapes so my latest effort is my first proper go at this genre (not counting my last painting which gives only a glimpse of the sea).
Titled unimaginatively Fishermen at the lighthouse, Porthcawl it depicts a cold and wintry sea. The picture is almost monochrome, unusually for me, my pictures are normally quite highly coloured, but I couldn't abandon colour altogether so there is just a faint tinge. I went down to the harbour last week and it looked just like this.
I am planning to do more seascapes over the next few months now I have a home near the sea to see what I can do with this genre
I have finished reading William Hardie's excellent book on Scottish Painting (Scottish Painting: 1837 to the Present in a handsome 3rd edition) which I highly recommend. This is not only a great introduction to Scottish painters, very well illustrated with colour plates throughout, it also serves as a very good run through different styles of painting from the mid-Victorians onwards.
I learned that the mid-Victorians were overly fond of brown because of the development of a new pigment called
asphaltum brown which, influenced by Sir David Wilkie who favoured a brown tonality, they used a lot. Sadly this was a mistake because it cracks badly and has ruined many paintings of the period. I don't know if you can still buy it but if you can one word - don't.
I especially like the work of Scottish artist Stanley Cursiter, hitherto unknown to me because his best work is in private collections, but I think he's quite brilliant and deserves to be better known.
The next blog will be on 9th January 2018 so it just remains for me to wish you all Nadolig Llawen (Welsh for Merry Christmas) and Happy New Year.
Covent Garden Market, London
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