When he was commissioned to design murals for the platforms of Charing Cross underground station, artist David Gentleman (born 1930) chose as his theme the building of the medieval Charing Cross, one of the twelve memorial crosses commemorating Queen Eleanor (who died in 1290). He devised a scheme to take into account the architecture of the station, allowing spaces for entrances and exits and litter bins (as shown in this example). He collaged together nearly 50 wood engravings which were then screen-printed onto melamine sheets by Perstorp Waterite Limited. This was the first large-scale application of wood engraving.
Physical description
Wood-engraved proof of design for the mural decorations for the Northern Line platforms at Charing Cross station, showing a group of four medieval masons laying the base of one of the Eleanor Crosses. Tools of various kinds lie on the floor, along with a stone bearing the carved arms of Eleanor of Acquitaine.
Place of Origin
Great Britain, United Kingdom (made)
Date
1979 (made)
Artist/maker
Gentleman, David, born 1930 (artist)
Materials and Techniques
Wood-engraving, black and red ink, blue crayon and photo-mechanical transfer, overlaid with clear plastic film
Dimensions
Height: 9.5 cm image, Width: 17.8 cm image, Height: 16 cm sheet, Width: 20.4 cm sheet
Object history note
Acquired in connection with the display A Fine Line - Commercial Wood Engraving in Britain, V&A, 10 October 1994 - 26 March 1995.
Descriptive line
Wood engraved proofs of design for the mural decorations for the Northern Line platforms at Charing Cross station, by David Gentleman; British, 1979
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Gentleman, David. A Cross for Queen Eleanor. London, 1979.
Exhibition History
A Fine Line: Commercial Wood Engraving in Britain (Henry Cole Wing, Level 2 26/03/1994-10/10/1994)
Labels and date
[Draft?] The artist chose as his theme the building of the medieval Charing Cross, one of the twelve memorial crosses commemorating Queen Eleanor (who died in 1290). He devised a scheme to take into account the architecture of the station, allowing spaces for entrances and exits and litter bins. He collaged together nearly 50 wood engravings which were then screen-printed onto melamine sheets by Perstorp Waterite Limited. This was the first large-scale application of wood engraving. [1994]
Materials
Paper; Ink; Crayon; Film
Techniques
Wood engraving
Subjects depicted
Tools; Heraldry; Stone; Compass; Vessel; Charing Cross; Of Aquitaine, Eleanor (Queen of England); Eleanor Crosses; Mediaeval Costume studies; Masons; Liripipes; Mallets (tools); Mortar; Trowels; Pestles
Categories
Prints; Illustration; Designs; Wall coverings; Transport
Production Type
Proof
Collection code
PDP
