DOI issue:
No. 61 (April, 1898)
DOI article:White, Gleeson: The work of Heywood Sumner, 1, sgraffito decorations
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18391#0178
The IVork of Heywood Sumner
manent advertisements is so obvious, that it is a ance with these works through the instrumentality
matter of surprise not to find it used for gable ends of photographic reproduction will fail to realise
of factories, and dozens of other places, where strik- how admirable they are. Fortunately, an example
ing decoration at once inexpensive and effective in colour will help to supply a key to the rest;
might help to turn the permanent affiche into a thing but even with this colour-print we must imagine
•of abiding beauty. Here, however, one must not it on a large scale, with a point of vision that
be led away by side issues, but come to the record interposes a certain atmosphere between the spec-
of Mr. Heywood Sumner's labours on behalf of tator and the actual decoration, to realise that
sgraffito as applied to church decoration. In all it represents mural decoration and is not a picture
these we are struck with the accord between the complete in itself.
artist and his material. The really personal quali- Visitors to the first Exhibition of the Arts and
ties of Mr. Sumner's art—its limitations no less Crafts Society in 1888 will remember that a series
than its capacity—find in it their fullest ex- of cartoon designs for this work, and some
pression. A certain lack of suppleness in the specimens of the actual sgraffito, were displayed in
permitted line, and impotence to express elaborate the North Gallery. Perhaps they will also remember
•details, would be irksome to many artists, but they a certain rawness of colour that at first sight was
provoke Mr. Sumner to his best. With a less not wholly pleasing. But this is merely the well-
obstinate material it is possible that his manner nigh inevitable result which decorations planned
might lack the suavity which is demanded, but for a particular place under certain defined
with an austere substance compelling simplicity he conditions of light must needs suffer by being ex-
appears not merely unhampered by the limits of the hibited under totally different conditions. Yet a
material, but to conceive his design so fully in truth so obvious needs to be reiterated. For it is
harmony with it that it would suffer considerably easy to acquire an honest prejudice against most
were it paraphrased in any other medium. It is admirable craftsmanship, that may linger, without
possible that many who make their first acquaint- the critic being conscious that he has founded his
opinion on false premises,
until he is confronted with
the same or similar work
in its own proper home.
The very qualities which
were repellent in the sgraf-
fito work seen in a gallery,
become its chief merit when
it is in a dark interior.
There it seems to illumin-
ate the walls and to be
delicate and brilliant at the
same time.
The chief works of this
class which Mr. Heywood
Sumner has undertaken
begin with those in Wells
College Chapel, Vicars
Close. These were exe-
cuted in 1887. The
scheme includes a panelled
wall-screen with nine
figures in gesso. The next
important work, of which
we illustrate certain por-
tions, was carried out in
1888 for S. Mary's, Llan-
sgraffito decoration, " DAVID AND JONATHAN-' IN the chapel of vair> Kilgeddin, near Abcr-
st. Edmund's school, canterbury, by heywood sumner gavenny, Monmouthshire.
157
manent advertisements is so obvious, that it is a ance with these works through the instrumentality
matter of surprise not to find it used for gable ends of photographic reproduction will fail to realise
of factories, and dozens of other places, where strik- how admirable they are. Fortunately, an example
ing decoration at once inexpensive and effective in colour will help to supply a key to the rest;
might help to turn the permanent affiche into a thing but even with this colour-print we must imagine
•of abiding beauty. Here, however, one must not it on a large scale, with a point of vision that
be led away by side issues, but come to the record interposes a certain atmosphere between the spec-
of Mr. Heywood Sumner's labours on behalf of tator and the actual decoration, to realise that
sgraffito as applied to church decoration. In all it represents mural decoration and is not a picture
these we are struck with the accord between the complete in itself.
artist and his material. The really personal quali- Visitors to the first Exhibition of the Arts and
ties of Mr. Sumner's art—its limitations no less Crafts Society in 1888 will remember that a series
than its capacity—find in it their fullest ex- of cartoon designs for this work, and some
pression. A certain lack of suppleness in the specimens of the actual sgraffito, were displayed in
permitted line, and impotence to express elaborate the North Gallery. Perhaps they will also remember
•details, would be irksome to many artists, but they a certain rawness of colour that at first sight was
provoke Mr. Sumner to his best. With a less not wholly pleasing. But this is merely the well-
obstinate material it is possible that his manner nigh inevitable result which decorations planned
might lack the suavity which is demanded, but for a particular place under certain defined
with an austere substance compelling simplicity he conditions of light must needs suffer by being ex-
appears not merely unhampered by the limits of the hibited under totally different conditions. Yet a
material, but to conceive his design so fully in truth so obvious needs to be reiterated. For it is
harmony with it that it would suffer considerably easy to acquire an honest prejudice against most
were it paraphrased in any other medium. It is admirable craftsmanship, that may linger, without
possible that many who make their first acquaint- the critic being conscious that he has founded his
opinion on false premises,
until he is confronted with
the same or similar work
in its own proper home.
The very qualities which
were repellent in the sgraf-
fito work seen in a gallery,
become its chief merit when
it is in a dark interior.
There it seems to illumin-
ate the walls and to be
delicate and brilliant at the
same time.
The chief works of this
class which Mr. Heywood
Sumner has undertaken
begin with those in Wells
College Chapel, Vicars
Close. These were exe-
cuted in 1887. The
scheme includes a panelled
wall-screen with nine
figures in gesso. The next
important work, of which
we illustrate certain por-
tions, was carried out in
1888 for S. Mary's, Llan-
sgraffito decoration, " DAVID AND JONATHAN-' IN the chapel of vair> Kilgeddin, near Abcr-
st. Edmund's school, canterbury, by heywood sumner gavenny, Monmouthshire.
157