Wednesday 14 August 2013

Stolen15C Panels from Church in Devon same as V&A Panel ?

Saddened to read of the theft of two panels and the damage done to a third in a robbery from the Holy Trinity ChurchTorbryan. 

The theft happened in this unlocked church between 22nd July  and 8th August. Demonstrating how vulnerable our volunteer managed churches are. The stolen pieces are unique, priceless which ever way you it express it – money or culture.

I was particularly interested as Holy Trinity’s Rood roodscreen has the same frame as the one I studied from the V&A.

Though Holy Trinity  has a much finer quality painting than the rough finish of the V&A indicating the hand of a more skilful  artist. In fact Holy Trinity is one of the finest screens in England but, sadly (for me) has no Adoration scene in its 40 figure panels.
 
V&A Panel 
Holy Trinity Church, Torbryan
Quoting from my essay on the V&A piece:

The [V&A]’s oak framework is carved with conventional Gothic foliage. It is framed on three sides by wheat-corn inspired, gilded carved mouldings regularly incised diagonally across the beam variations of this corn moulding are also found on[both Holy Trinity and the V&A frame] indicating that [they] come from a similar tradition.

Each of the framework’s four lights is filled with a single painted figure from The [figures] framed by a distinctive carved ,cusped gothic ogee arch with a trefoil intrados. Its ogee arches are a feature the [V&A] work shares with [Holy Trinity] …….. The common tradition detected in the arches and mouldings is seen again in the sills where perhaps again ornamental variations indicate a common tradition which may have been formalised into a common pattern book shared amongst the carvers guild

2 comments:

Johanna said...

Had already been alerted to this by a different source. Such an appalling, thoughtless theft.

Michael said...

Totally agree Johanna, sad thing is some avaricious, commercial, economic thought certainly went into the theft but, absolutely no thought as to cultural loss or the damage caused.