Design for a Mosaic

Albert Joseph Moore, ARWS 1841-1893

1860s

According to The Studio, this and the accompanying design exemplify the British government's treatment of artists: "It is the custom of our Government officials to struggle to make reasons for not doing things they obviously ought to do. When the particular thing they ought to do involves the encouragement of art, their struggles to shelve the whole matter become quite painful. As an illustration of this, the case of Albert Moore's designs for the mosaic panels in the Central Hall of the Houses of Parliament is worth noting. These designs were prepared by him some time in the sixties, and have been in the board of Works ever since. Two or three years ago the suggestion was made that the completion of the panels was about due, so the officials hve examined the drawings and decided they would like to have a little more detail in them. Seven years ago Albert Moore died."

Scanned image and text by George P. Landow

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