Lot 48
ATTRIBUTED TO CHARLES HARDGRAVE (1848-1920) FOR JAMES POWELL & SONS, WHITEFRIARS
‘OPUS SECTILE’ MOSAIC PANEL, CIRCA 1870
Estimate: £500 - £800
Auction: Lots 1 to 336 | 16th October at 10am
Description
painted coloured glass and mother of pearl, framed
Dimensions
71cm x 29.5 (frame size 73cm x 31.5cm)
Provenance
Provenance: Collection of John Scott, London
The Fine Art Society
Footnote
Exhibited: London, The Fine Art Society The John Scott Collection: James Powell & Sons, Whitefriars Glass 1860-1960, no. 83
Literature: Powell’s Opus Sectile Locations, The Tiles & Architectural Ceramics Society (tilesoc.org.uk)
Note: Opus sectile, a decorative technique originally developed in ancient Rome, involves the meticulous inlay of materials such as marble, stone, or mother-of-pearl into walls and floors to create intricate images. This method experienced a revival through the work of Powell & Sons, who introduced their innovative use of coloured and textured glass, expanding upon their established tradition of providing stained glass for ecclesiastical settings. The materials supplied by the firm were often offered as individual elements, such as quarries, or as prefabricated or custom-designed panels.
According to analysis by Dr. Dennis Hardley, evidence from Powell’s Cash Window Books demonstrates that Powell & Sons had been producing reredoses, altar panels, and wall panels using the opus sectile technique as early as 1873. By the 1890s, the firm had expanded their operations internationally, exporting these works to countries such as India, the United States, France, Ireland, and Denmark for both religious and commercial commissions.
The lily panel examined in this context is reminiscent of one installed in the Church of the Holy Cross in Owlpen, Gloucestershire, in 1887. This work is attributed to Charles Hardgrave, a key artist in the firm’s production during this period.
