Latest Theme : The transposition of several ideas on the Romanesque frieze of Lincoln Cathedral.
I am fortunate in living near the 11th century Lincoln Cathedral and walk past it on my way to the Bailgate. Since 1983 the Romanesque frieze on the west front of the cathedral has been boxed and attempts are being made to restore this rare treasure. It has been damaged over the centuries by the weather and pollution. Whilst transposing the frieze into personalised woodcuts I have had to rely on my early sketches, cathedral restoration exhibitions and Peter Fairweather's webpage for images.
I have had an interest in woodcuts since the age of seven. It began at school looking at my history books.They were 1930's publications with monochrome lithographs and photographic half tones. However, the author used authentic illustrations and the simple, line woodcuts of medieval ploughmen, monks and knights on horse back could not be degraded through the print processes. These black line images have been in the back of my mind for half a century together with lithographic illustrations of the death of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings (a section of the 11th century Bayeux Tapestry). I have not been able to identify any one of these illustrators because the status of the medieval illuminator/embroiderer/woodblock cutter was too humble to be recognised.
A revival of my interest in medieval art started with a teaching secondment to Lincoln Cathedral which included a study in the library looking at early printed books, especially William Caxton's illustrated book of the Saints : Legenda Aurea 1483. In the same year I fulfilled a lifelong ambition to visit Normandy, France to see the Bayeux Tapestry.
I thought that seeing all these original works would satisfy my curiosity, alas, I have temporarily abandoned my mouse, computer graphics and HTML technology : I am back with the woodcutters. Back to gallery