Saturday 21 March 2020

Pictures In The Attic

The world seems a mad, mad place right now. On Friday afternoon, Bob was shifting things around in the lounge, setting up lights, screen and a video camera, in order to record part of a 'virtual' church service. It's going out on YouTube on Sunday. 
I hope it all works. In the process we discovered half a dozen ants which had somehow got through the patio doors and were scurrying around behind the sofa. We have ant killer. But it is at Cornerstones!
One Church member kindly stopped off at Wilko on her way home, then left a canister of the stuff in the porch for us.
This morning, two other friends left carrots, onions and a jigsaw. 
Currently nestling either side of the fireplace are two pictures, which I retrieved from the loft about a month ago. You can just make out one of these behind the screen [I have to say, it was quite fun watching Bob reading his sermon from the autocue on screen]
But back to the pictures. When we moved into the house [January 2015] we found them  up in the loft, and I have been intrigued by them ever since. I got them down on the day of the Pancake Party - less than four weeks ago, but it feels like a lifetime away now. I wondered if any church member had the remotest idea of where they came from. Nobody did. So I am sharing them here on the blog.
They are both around 20" x 24" painted on old bits of wood from cheap packing cases.
One says "Hornsey School of Art 1955"
I call this woman Princess Margaret
and the other one Her Friend
Were they done by students?
Were they painted in a "Life class" - or did the artist [s] copy these from existing pictures or photographs.
Are they real people, or artist's impressions?
There are no names or other identification marks.


I don't suppose I shall ever find out their origins. Unlike Dorian Gray's picture in the attic, the faces have not aged with time. There is the remotest possibility that somebody reading this post might recognise them. Any suggestions?

8 comments:

  1. I hope you find out more about your paintings. I also hope that you will post a link to Bob's sermon. I also hope that you are feeling better.

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  2. Maybe a little bit of detective work would shed some light on those fabulous paintings, i.e. college archives and the like??Hope you and the Rev are making a good recovery.x

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    1. I've struggled to find out anything much about Hornsey Art College. It got merged in 1973 and is now part of Middlesex University.

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  3. If anyone wants to join in with our service (Christ Church Clermont Ferrand) we are having a Zoom service at 9.30 GMT. Send an email to alison(dot)wale(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk and I'll send you the information. I'm preaching!!

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  4. Thanks Alison. It is so exciting to see how churches are working with new technology to enable collective worship, and regular admin! As I type this, Bob is in the middle of a Zoom Deacons' Meeting.

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  5. The portraits are so intriguing, it would indeed be lovely to find out more.
    Glad to hear you are feeling a little better Angela.

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  6. Wouldn't it be wonderful to find out more about them - just like on the Antiques Roadshow!
    Our ministers just emailed out this week's video sermon via YouTube. I did a critique on it yesterday and I think they did a great job. They did it in the church with the help of a few others who were around and wanted to participate. It's a bit more casual than usual but I think it will be well received.
    Ministers, priest, imams and rabbis all across the globe will be scrambling at the moment!

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  7. It certainly is mad!!
    The paintings are intriguing! I'd love to know who they are!

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