This is the First World War Memorial at the Oakham School Memorial Chapel. It came to me just like this, as a page torn from a book, in a pile of ephemera which included a couple of blank subscription forms towards the building of the Chapel. I have no idea who the artist was behind this memorial but it is of striking quality and with a Christ who is unusually finely muscled: almost more naked than nude. If this artist did more work elsewhere I would very much like to see it.Thursday, June 23, 2011
War Memorial: Oakham School
This is the First World War Memorial at the Oakham School Memorial Chapel. It came to me just like this, as a page torn from a book, in a pile of ephemera which included a couple of blank subscription forms towards the building of the Chapel. I have no idea who the artist was behind this memorial but it is of striking quality and with a Christ who is unusually finely muscled: almost more naked than nude. If this artist did more work elsewhere I would very much like to see it.
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The sculptures at Oakham School chapel are by William Sargent (1870-1960), whose brother was headmaster when the chapel was built in 1924-25. This was less a case of nepotism and more one of the school having a very limited budget – William did the work largely as a favour for his brother. Their sister Mary (1857-1950 - the Sargents were a long-lived as well as artistic family) is better remembered than William is, as she pioneered the revival of 'true' fresco – there are paintings by her in the chapel. William Sargent trained at the Slade and spent most of his life in Italy – he carved the memorial to Florence Nightingale in Santa Croce in Florence. As the reliefs at Oakham show, his work was very influenced by Italian renaissance sculpture.
A correction to my last comment - the sculptor's name is Sargant, not Sargent. Apologies.
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