Design for a crozier
Design
1889-1890 (made)
1889-1890 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
By the 1890s a rather hard, dry style in church metalwork had developed. Designers copied medieval prototypes literally, without using much imagination. Some art historians call this style the ‘Latest Gothic’. In this design the figures are based on a celebrated set of medieval silver figures now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. These figures have often been used to make fake apostle spoons (spoons decorated with figures of Christ’s Apostles, once popular baptismal gifts).
There are complex reasons why the energy of the reformed Gothic movement declined. A. W. N. Pugin (1812-1852) had once championed the view that the late medieval forms of Christian art were the best. The decay of this fashionable belief must be partly to blame.
There are complex reasons why the energy of the reformed Gothic movement declined. A. W. N. Pugin (1812-1852) had once championed the view that the late medieval forms of Christian art were the best. The decay of this fashionable belief must be partly to blame.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Design for a crozier (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink and watercolour on laid paper watermarked 1889 which has been mounted on card |
| Brief description | Drawing by George P. D. Saul, design for an elaborate crozier, pen and ink and watercolour on paper, Great Britain, 1889-1890 |
| Physical description | Full scale front elevation of the head, detail of the foot, and two sections of the decoration of the staff of an elaborate crozier depicting Christ, saints and angels. Christ is at the centre surrounded by jewels set in the shapes of flowers. Around this are six saints set within elaborate metalwork foliage. Below are two angles gazing up at Christ. On the right of the crozier design there are two cross section drawings. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | By the 1890s a rather hard, dry style in church metalwork had developed. Designers copied medieval prototypes literally, without using much imagination. Some art historians call this style the ‘Latest Gothic’. In this design the figures are based on a celebrated set of medieval silver figures now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. These figures have often been used to make fake apostle spoons (spoons decorated with figures of Christ’s Apostles, once popular baptismal gifts). There are complex reasons why the energy of the reformed Gothic movement declined. A. W. N. Pugin (1812-1852) had once championed the view that the late medieval forms of Christian art were the best. The decay of this fashionable belief must be partly to blame. |
| Bibliographic reference | Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1993 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.720-1993 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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