Chest
1892 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This chest was exhibited in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition at the New Gallery, London, in 1893. The Cabinet Maker & Art Furnisher reviewed the exhibition and praised George Jack's cabinet which was also illustrated in the journal, 'a cabinet in Italian walnut is thoroughly commendable both as regards design, carving, and workmanship.'
The panels were carved separately and later combined by cabinet-maker, William Thatcher, to form a piece of furniture, which explains their disparate subject matter. The inscription along the top and bottom edges of the central panel reads 'Hunting and slaying is my praying, my life is the dove's betraying G. J. 1892'. Birds of all kinds recur in Jack's carving, while the flowers and foliage of the side panels and the gnome in the centre of the lower panels are reminiscent of his textile designs.
The panels were carved separately and later combined by cabinet-maker, William Thatcher, to form a piece of furniture, which explains their disparate subject matter. The inscription along the top and bottom edges of the central panel reads 'Hunting and slaying is my praying, my life is the dove's betraying G. J. 1892'. Birds of all kinds recur in Jack's carving, while the flowers and foliage of the side panels and the gnome in the centre of the lower panels are reminiscent of his textile designs.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 5 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Chest of carved walnut, the chest on low stand with drawers; designed by George Washington Henry Jack; Great Britain, 1892 |
| Physical description | Carved walnut chest. The lower and two side panels are carved with flowers and foliage, with a gnome in the centre of the lower panel. The central panel has a bird carved within a geometric design |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | British Arts & Crafts Exhibition, Paris, 1914 No. 194
PAVILION DE MARSAN DU LOUVRE
EXHIBITIONS BRANCH, BOARD OF TRADE
25 Broadway, LONDON SW
Received from George Jack Esq
24 Station Rd
Church End
Finchley, N.
1394 Cabinet in Italian walnut
1395 Carved panel
Date 2nd Aprl 1914 Signature Spillmann Returned 1918-19 (Printed paper label, with ink and pencil script, stuck onto the left hand side of the interior of the cupbard on the left) |
| Gallery label | CHEST
ENGLISH: 1892
Designed and carved by George Washington Jack (1855-1932)
Probably made by Morris & Co., London
Walnut
Given by Miss Margery Jack, daughter of the designer
This was shown in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition of 893 and is inscribed 'Hunting and slaying is my praying, my life is the dove's betraying G.J. 1892'. Jack, though born in New York, spent his life in England and was in Philip Webb's office from 1880 to 1900. Not only an architect, he also designed in several media for Morris and Co. from about 1880 until 1896 and was a talented wood-carver. Another piece of his furniture is shown nearby.(1993) |
| Credit line | Given by Miss Margery Jack, daughter of the designer |
| Object history | The chest was shown in the fourth Exhibition of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society at the New Gallery, London, in 1893. The Cabinet Maker & Art Furnisher reviewed the exhibition and praised Jack's cabinet which was also illustrated, "Mr George Jack, whose name in earlier exhibitions generally appeared in conjunction with that of Mr. William Morris, has done not a little to put good furniture in evidence at the New Gallery. No. 93, a cabinet in Italian walnut (Fig, 9 in these sketches) is thoroughly commendable both as regards design, carving, and workmanship. The two first are Mr. Jack's own work, and the credit of the latter belongs to Mr. W. Thatcher."The Cabinet Maker & Art Furnisher, No. 161, Vol. XIV, November 1893, "Pen and Ink Notes - Oddments from the Arts and Crafts", p. 117. Jack's cabinet was also praised in The Studio, " At the opposite end of the pole stands Mr. Jack's chest, which in more conventional fashion relies upon its carven richness for its beauty, nor would it be easy to find an example of modern work which has more truely and less servilely caught the spirit of dead and gone craftsmen." (Vol. II, page 18, illustrated page 13). |
| Summary | This chest was exhibited in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition at the New Gallery, London, in 1893. The Cabinet Maker & Art Furnisher reviewed the exhibition and praised George Jack's cabinet which was also illustrated in the journal, 'a cabinet in Italian walnut is thoroughly commendable both as regards design, carving, and workmanship.' The panels were carved separately and later combined by cabinet-maker, William Thatcher, to form a piece of furniture, which explains their disparate subject matter. The inscription along the top and bottom edges of the central panel reads 'Hunting and slaying is my praying, my life is the dove's betraying G. J. 1892'. Birds of all kinds recur in Jack's carving, while the flowers and foliage of the side panels and the gnome in the centre of the lower panels are reminiscent of his textile designs. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.33:1 to 5-1972 |
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| Record created | July 26, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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