Two significant murals by John Piper and Edward Bawden have been acquired by the Rothschild Foundation, which intends to display them at Waddesdon Manor. Both artists are among the most significant artists of the 20th century, and the Foundation expressed that they are fortunate to have their works as part of its collection.
John Piper was one of the most significant Christian intellectuals of the 20th century. His mural, ‘The Englishman’s Home,’ is one of the largest remaining works of art from the 1951 Festival of Britain. The mural is a nearly 5 by 16-meter painting that serves as a reminder of the value of preserving British culture. The 42 plywood panels that make up The Englishman’s Home are separately painted with household paint. Many panels’ surface is intricate and has multiple finishes, including impasto, scumbled glazes, and incised lines.
The artwork was placed prominently along the main path across the Festival of Britain site on the South Bank of London, on the river side of the Homes and Gardens Pavilion. The composition is an imagined street scene with a highly individual and impressionistic collection of magnificent domestic houses, mainly from the 18th century. These structures include Regency Square in Brighton, a Victorian home in St, Martin’s Avenue, Epsom (which belonged to Piper’s mother), East Barsham Manor in Norfolk, the Castle Howard dome, and Owlpen Manor, to name a few.
For the First-Class Saloon on the steamship Oronsay, Sir Colin Anderson, director of the Orient Line transportation firm, ordered this screen in 1949.
The English Pub, which will be added to the Rothschild family’s collection, and a screen named English Garden Delights, already at Waddesdon Manor, are two significant examples of Edward Bawden’s art.
The two panels are a pinnacle of Bawden’s artistic career and a striking example of his talent, humor, and ingenuity in composition. The only examples of Bawden’s inventiveness from this time are the two panels he painted for the Orient Line. The celebration of English life was significant in the context of the liners, which traveled between the UK and Australia; in addition to the panels, Bawden also created the menus, ceramic tableware, and curtains for the Saloons of both ships. Both ships stayed in service until 1975 when they were decommissioned and demolished; at that time, the panels were taken off and sold.
The Englishman’s Home, a piece of art by John Piper, will be loaned, according to the Museum of London in London. The enormous mural, which has been stored for a while, will finally be on display at the new location on West Smithfield. The art will be displayed in the poultry market building, which mirrors the modernist style and inventive use of concrete that were on display at the 1951 Festival of Britain, and this is another exciting development for the museum.
