Design
ca. 1859-1862 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Designs for the elevation and section of a cross in metalwork set with semi-precious stones on a pink ground. The designs were made in about 1859-1862 by Francis Skidmore, (1817-1896), who was a leading Victorian metalworker. Now little known, Skidmore was once famous as the maker of the Albert Memorial (1863-1876) and the Hereford Screen (which was exhibited in London at the International Exhibition of 1862). Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) designed both the memorial and the screen and employed Skidmore to execute them. Skidmore also produced church plate, light fittings, and furniture but was best known for his innovative architectural ironwork. Based in Coventry, Skidmore worked for some of the leading designers of the Gothic Revival movement, particularly Sir George Gilbert Scott. Skidmore's career peaked in the 1860s when his factory employed over 100 staff but due to ill health and he died in relative poverty.
These designs are highly finished presentation drawings to be shown to the client. They show semi-precious stones in a metalwork mount of the type on both the Albert Memorial and the Hereford Screen.
These designs are highly finished presentation drawings to be shown to the client. They show semi-precious stones in a metalwork mount of the type on both the Albert Memorial and the Hereford Screen.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink and watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Design for a cross in metalwork set with semi-precious stones by Francis Skidmore, 1859-1862. |
| Physical description | Designs for the elevation and section of a cross in metalwork set with semi-precious stones on a pink ground. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Design |
| Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries |
| Object history | The provenance is the grand-daughter of Francis Skidmore. |
| Production | Attribution note: There are pinpricks in the centre of the semi-precious stones in the top design which suggests that a compass was used to draw the circles. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Designs for the elevation and section of a cross in metalwork set with semi-precious stones on a pink ground. The designs were made in about 1859-1862 by Francis Skidmore, (1817-1896), who was a leading Victorian metalworker. Now little known, Skidmore was once famous as the maker of the Albert Memorial (1863-1876) and the Hereford Screen (which was exhibited in London at the International Exhibition of 1862). Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) designed both the memorial and the screen and employed Skidmore to execute them. Skidmore also produced church plate, light fittings, and furniture but was best known for his innovative architectural ironwork. Based in Coventry, Skidmore worked for some of the leading designers of the Gothic Revival movement, particularly Sir George Gilbert Scott. Skidmore's career peaked in the 1860s when his factory employed over 100 staff but due to ill health and he died in relative poverty. These designs are highly finished presentation drawings to be shown to the client. They show semi-precious stones in a metalwork mount of the type on both the Albert Memorial and the Hereford Screen. |
| Bibliographic reference | Brooks, Chris, ed. The Albert Memorial. New Haven and London: Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art by Yale University Press, 2000. 274, 275, 373 pp., ill. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.376-2006 |
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| Record created | October 8, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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