DOI Heft:
No. 128 (November, 1903)
DOI Artikel:Browne, G. Ulick: Some remarks on the work of S. Pepys Cockerell
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19880#0137
The JVork of S. Pepys Cockerell
seated in a shell, being towed on the sea by flying Take a door-knocker designed by him. Now the
peacocks, escorted by cupids in the air and by primary object of a door-knocker is to knock well,
dolphins in the water. The flight of the peacocks and to achieve this object it should be possible for
with their plumage and vast tails, the little chubby the operator to grasp it easily. The Venetian
cupids with their wings, and the dolphins by their artists of the Renaissance, who may be said to be
diving, rolling, and tumbling, afford, in conjunction the chief exponents of this form of art, and who
with the waves, great opportunities of graceful com- were very fond of elaborate knockers, were sadly
position which have been most happily seized and ■ at fault in these desiderata, and, fine as they
made use of. often were in execution, the designs of most
In the same room the jambs of the marble of their knockers of that period are, as a rule
mantelpiece consist of two female figures in high superlatively witless. Large, almost colossal
relief, clad in classical draperies, which, by their groups of Neptunes and dolphins—Venus rising
attitude and form indicate the capability of support- from the sea surrounded by cupids or mermaids
ing the shelf; whereas in the overmantel the three —Diana with or without attendant nymphs,
female figures, in low relief with diaphanous but nearly always with wild beasts or dogs
draperies, are lightly executing a dance. running all around her, while she flourishes
The small statuettes of the cupids, one sitting a spear over her head instead of plunging
on a hare, holding a heart on fire, and the other it into one of the former. In the knocker,
asleep on a tortoise, both on
bases of Connemara marble, are
fine pieces of compact composi-
tion and skilful execution.
All these, whether as a whole
or in detail, are appropriate to the
purpose for which they are made,
and being intended for cheerful
living rooms are treated in a
lighter, easier style than the
mural monument for the church.
In the hunting frieze, which is
in red brick, cut out of one of
the walls of the entrance court-
yard of Lythe Hill, Haslemere,
one of the riders coming a
cropper over a stile, a rustic
giving a "view halloa," and the
rabbits dodging in and out of
their burrows, introduce, by their
treatment, a light, comic element,
which is suitable to their sur-
roundings, but which does not
militate against the composition
or design.
Marble, stucco, and brick have
hitherto been dealt with. To
turn now to Pepys CockerelPs
work in other materials — the
same striving to keep strictly to
the purpose of the subject is
found, the determination to
keep the design simple, in-
teresting, and appropriate with-
out losing refinement, beauty,
and delicacy. "cupid seated on a tortoise" by s. pepys cockerell
seated in a shell, being towed on the sea by flying Take a door-knocker designed by him. Now the
peacocks, escorted by cupids in the air and by primary object of a door-knocker is to knock well,
dolphins in the water. The flight of the peacocks and to achieve this object it should be possible for
with their plumage and vast tails, the little chubby the operator to grasp it easily. The Venetian
cupids with their wings, and the dolphins by their artists of the Renaissance, who may be said to be
diving, rolling, and tumbling, afford, in conjunction the chief exponents of this form of art, and who
with the waves, great opportunities of graceful com- were very fond of elaborate knockers, were sadly
position which have been most happily seized and ■ at fault in these desiderata, and, fine as they
made use of. often were in execution, the designs of most
In the same room the jambs of the marble of their knockers of that period are, as a rule
mantelpiece consist of two female figures in high superlatively witless. Large, almost colossal
relief, clad in classical draperies, which, by their groups of Neptunes and dolphins—Venus rising
attitude and form indicate the capability of support- from the sea surrounded by cupids or mermaids
ing the shelf; whereas in the overmantel the three —Diana with or without attendant nymphs,
female figures, in low relief with diaphanous but nearly always with wild beasts or dogs
draperies, are lightly executing a dance. running all around her, while she flourishes
The small statuettes of the cupids, one sitting a spear over her head instead of plunging
on a hare, holding a heart on fire, and the other it into one of the former. In the knocker,
asleep on a tortoise, both on
bases of Connemara marble, are
fine pieces of compact composi-
tion and skilful execution.
All these, whether as a whole
or in detail, are appropriate to the
purpose for which they are made,
and being intended for cheerful
living rooms are treated in a
lighter, easier style than the
mural monument for the church.
In the hunting frieze, which is
in red brick, cut out of one of
the walls of the entrance court-
yard of Lythe Hill, Haslemere,
one of the riders coming a
cropper over a stile, a rustic
giving a "view halloa," and the
rabbits dodging in and out of
their burrows, introduce, by their
treatment, a light, comic element,
which is suitable to their sur-
roundings, but which does not
militate against the composition
or design.
Marble, stucco, and brick have
hitherto been dealt with. To
turn now to Pepys CockerelPs
work in other materials — the
same striving to keep strictly to
the purpose of the subject is
found, the determination to
keep the design simple, in-
teresting, and appropriate with-
out losing refinement, beauty,
and delicacy. "cupid seated on a tortoise" by s. pepys cockerell