O Ye Children of Men Bless Ye the Lord, by George Heywood Sumner (1853-1940). Another in the series commissioned by the Reverend William John Coussmaker in 1888 as a memorial to his wife. St Mary the Virgin, Llanfair Kilgeddin, Monmouthshire. Photograph and text by Michael Statham. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Like the other sgraffito panels here, this one in the nave takes its theme from the Benedicite, the hymn of praise to God for his creation. This panel depicts the path of life - motherhood with a woman holding her baby - childhood denoted by a young girl marvelling at the sight of a butterfly, whilst an older boy plays with a hoop; the latter tempered by the sight of an old man’s head framed in the hoop - adults in various walks of life, one holding a banner with the word “fame” - an old person grieving over the shrouded body of a loved one. Above is an angel and a quotation from Revelation 14:13. This panel presents a celebration of human life, tempered by a recognition of the inevitable.
Link to related material
- Three Benedicite Windows, St Peter's Church, Staines, by Edward Arthur Fellowes Prynne (a different treatment of the theme in a different medium)
Bibliography
Knight, Malcolm Peter. The Sgraffito of Heywood Sumner (1853–1940). MSc Thesis University of Liverpool. 30 April 2021. Two Volumes. Available online at the University of Liverpool Repository.
Created 11 December 2022