‘God rest you, merry gentlemen’, by Agnes P. Manley

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God rest you, merry gentlemen

Agnes P Manley (1867-1931)

Woodcut engraved by Manley

5½ x 3½ inches

A Book of Pictured Carols, 58

This illustration by Manley shows Gabriel, a ‘blessed angel’ delivering his tidings to the shepherds. Produced as a woodcut, it epitomizes the simplification of line that is found in illustrated incunabula. Space and perspective are flattened to create a linear pattern, although there is some modelling of the figures. [Commentary continues below].

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Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke.

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Manley set out to pay homage to these early printed books, but also drew inspiration from Pre-Raphaelite exemplars in book illustration and stained glass; Quattrocento painting is another, obvious influence. Synthesizing these sources, Manley projects an image of great feeling that is ‘sincere’ and ‘truthful’ in the manner of first stage Pre-Raphaelitism.

Bibliography

A Book of Pictured Carols Designed by Members of the Birmingham Art School. London: George Allen, 1893.

Created 20 July 2020