O Ye Servants of the Lord, by George Heywood Sumner (1853-1940). Chancel sgraffito panel 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.]
This panel is on the south wall of the chancel. It continues the sequence in the nave illustrating the Benedicite. Oh ye servants of the Lord features, on the left-hand side, John the Baptist (obscured by the lamp), Isaiah, Samuel and David. The right-hand side features Moses (holding the Ten Commandments), Sarah, Abraham, Eve and Adam (also obscured by a lamp), with his hoe. This is thought to depict “The Old Dispensation” which relates to God’s compact with his chosen people in the Old Testament. Peter Knight writes, "Here Sumner has enjoyed himself, showing his ability to suggest animal hide, thin fabric with a fringe and heavy robes but also a facility with hair and beards" (26).
This and several other panels deal with subjects less likely to be understood by those not versed in the scriptures, or perhaps generally less impressive: as for those in the chancel, for example, Knight writes, "there is a hint of the formulaic about them. Subsumed under the slogan ‘O ye holy and humble men of heart,’ they lack the grace and finish of other panels in the Church – perhaps they were his first essays at the suite of panels for the building" (26-27).
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 12 December 2022