DOI issue:
No. 309 (December 1918)
DOI article:Vallance, Aymer: The paintings of Reginald Frampton, R.O.I
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24600#0082
The Paintings of Reginald Framftton, R.O.I.
' One of the special features of these and other of butter. If this be so, it finds a parallel in the
subjects in which the sea is introduced is case of a yet more famous building, the Cathedral
Mr. Frampton's characteristic handling of of Reims. An accidental fire, on July 24, 1481,
waves—a handling all his own. His nature- consumed the outer or span roof of the church
studies have led him to take a peculiar delight over the vaulting, together with the five towers
in the sea, and particularly in emphasizing the with spires then standing. The flames, spreading
crisp crest and the curled volute forms of waves to the interior, damaged the building so much
in rough weather, as contrasted with the that the Archbishop and Chapter were obliged
treacherous oily swell of sea-water in com- to appeal for funds to the country at large,
parative calm. The then reigning sovereign, Louis XI, helped
An allegorical work, Navigation, a female only with unfulfilled promises. But his suc-
figure with ships, orrery in hand, seated on a cessor, Charles VIII, having seen for himself,
billow-beaten rock, is a very charming rendering when he went to Reims to be crowned, how
of the subject, and one which exemplifies the sorely the great church was in need, as his
above-described treatment of wave-forms. own contribution towards the requisite repairs
Our Lady of Promise is a variant of an earlier made over for a teim of years a portion of the
work entitled Our Lady of the Gothic Tower, royal revenue levied on the sale of salt through-
In both paintings the Madonna, with her Child, out his dominion. Dues on salt and dues on
is seated in front of a lofty belfry-tower. The butter, then, have proved equally serviceable in
broken classic columns
hard by are meant to
symbolize the decay and
ruin of the old paganism,
and the flourishing charac-
ter of Christianity and its
aspiring architecture. A
slender tree beside the
tower conveys the same
message of vigorous growth.
The tower in the earlier
work is an original com-
bination of Gothic details
devised and arranged by
the artist himself. In the
case of the later work,
Our Lady of Promise, here
illustrated, the tower is a
fairly literal rendering of
the south-west tower of
Rouen Cathedral, univer-
sally known as the Tour
de Beurre. The popular
explanation of this title,
as given, for instance, by
Baedeker, is that the beau-
tiful and ornate tower was
" erected with the money
paid for indulgences to
eat butter during Lent."
. , , . " Piping down the vallevs wild,
Another aCCOUnt, however, Piping songs of pleasant glee, WATER-COLOUR BY
is that the tOWer Was °Ynt^laughlngSto me . . REGINALD FRAMPTON, R.O.I.
built With the proceeds of BW£e's "Songs of Innocence"
market dues on the sale (fn the possession of the Rev. J. W. Broeklebank)
72
' One of the special features of these and other of butter. If this be so, it finds a parallel in the
subjects in which the sea is introduced is case of a yet more famous building, the Cathedral
Mr. Frampton's characteristic handling of of Reims. An accidental fire, on July 24, 1481,
waves—a handling all his own. His nature- consumed the outer or span roof of the church
studies have led him to take a peculiar delight over the vaulting, together with the five towers
in the sea, and particularly in emphasizing the with spires then standing. The flames, spreading
crisp crest and the curled volute forms of waves to the interior, damaged the building so much
in rough weather, as contrasted with the that the Archbishop and Chapter were obliged
treacherous oily swell of sea-water in com- to appeal for funds to the country at large,
parative calm. The then reigning sovereign, Louis XI, helped
An allegorical work, Navigation, a female only with unfulfilled promises. But his suc-
figure with ships, orrery in hand, seated on a cessor, Charles VIII, having seen for himself,
billow-beaten rock, is a very charming rendering when he went to Reims to be crowned, how
of the subject, and one which exemplifies the sorely the great church was in need, as his
above-described treatment of wave-forms. own contribution towards the requisite repairs
Our Lady of Promise is a variant of an earlier made over for a teim of years a portion of the
work entitled Our Lady of the Gothic Tower, royal revenue levied on the sale of salt through-
In both paintings the Madonna, with her Child, out his dominion. Dues on salt and dues on
is seated in front of a lofty belfry-tower. The butter, then, have proved equally serviceable in
broken classic columns
hard by are meant to
symbolize the decay and
ruin of the old paganism,
and the flourishing charac-
ter of Christianity and its
aspiring architecture. A
slender tree beside the
tower conveys the same
message of vigorous growth.
The tower in the earlier
work is an original com-
bination of Gothic details
devised and arranged by
the artist himself. In the
case of the later work,
Our Lady of Promise, here
illustrated, the tower is a
fairly literal rendering of
the south-west tower of
Rouen Cathedral, univer-
sally known as the Tour
de Beurre. The popular
explanation of this title,
as given, for instance, by
Baedeker, is that the beau-
tiful and ornate tower was
" erected with the money
paid for indulgences to
eat butter during Lent."
. , , . " Piping down the vallevs wild,
Another aCCOUnt, however, Piping songs of pleasant glee, WATER-COLOUR BY
is that the tOWer Was °Ynt^laughlngSto me . . REGINALD FRAMPTON, R.O.I.
built With the proceeds of BW£e's "Songs of Innocence"
market dues on the sale (fn the possession of the Rev. J. W. Broeklebank)
72