Tag Archives: arts and crafts movement

Indian influences in a house on the Isle of Wight

Posted on by
Reply

YESTERDAY (THE 4th OF OCTOBER 2023), I gave a short talk to introduce my book about the pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879). Born in Calcutta (Kolkata), she died in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Between 1860 and 1875, Julia and her family lived at Freshwater Bay (on the Isle of Wight) in a house called Dimbola. It was named after one of Mr Cameron’s coffee plantations (Dimbula) in Ceylon. The house at Freshwater Bay is now a well-curated museum dedicated to Julia and her photographic works. It was in its large tearoom, once the Cameron’s dining room, that I gave my brief talk.

When the Cameron’s bought Dimbola (at Freshwater), which is close to the house where the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson lived, it was a group of two separate cottages. Builders were employed to join the two buildings to create one large residence. A crenelated tower was constructed to join the two formerly separated edifices. From the outside Dimbola appears to be a typical Victorian construction. However, inside a treat awaits the visitor.

Apart from the interesting exhibits in the museum, some of the house’s internal decorative features deserve attention. There is much timberwork that reminds one of India. The Cameron’s designed parts of their house in what is often known as the ‘Indo-Saracenic’ style. This is an often-successful marriage of gothic and Islamic architectural details. Wikipedia expands on this as follows:

“Indo-Saracenic architecture (also known as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, Neo-Mughal, in the 19th century often Hindoo style) was a revivalist architectural style mostly used by British architects in India in the later 19th century, especially in public and government buildings in the British Raj, and the palaces of rulers of the princely states. It drew stylistic and decorative elements from native Indo-Islamic architecture, especially Mughal architecture, which the British regarded as the classic Indian style, and, less often, from Hindu temple architecture.”

Apart from the magnificent example of this decorative style in the Durbar Room at Osborne House (on the Isle of Wight), there are few if any examples of its usage in houses in England that can rival that which can be seen at Dimbola. Fortunately, Dimbola was saved from demolition late in the last century. Had it been demolished to make room for holiday flats, this superb example of the use of Indo-Saracenic style, which harmonises well with some of Dimbola’s Arts and Craft style details, would have been lost. During recent restoration of the house, the walls have been covered with reproductions of the Arts and Craft Style wall papers that used to decorate the place back in the 19th century. Some fragments of the original William Morris wallpapers were discovered during the restoration works. In addition, a wall with Victorian paintwork was found, and has been preserved, albeit a little faded, in its original state.

A visit to Freshwater’s Dimbola is worthwhile, not only to imbibe the atmosphere of the home of the charismatic Victorian photographer but also to enjoy excellent coffee and home-made cakes in its delightful café. And while you are there, you can buy a copy of my book “BETWEEN TWO ISLANDS: JULIA MARGARET CAMERON AND HER CIRCLE” in the museum’s small shop. If you are unable to reach Dimbola, you can get a copy from Amazon sites such as:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BZFCVLX9/

A concert in a church at Sloane Square

Posted on by
Reply

UNTIL YESTERDAY EVENING (24th of June 2023), I had never heard of the town of Davis in California. And unsurprisingly, neither did I know of the existence of Davis Senior High School and its baroque ensemble. Had I not attended their concert in Holy Trinity Church in London’s Sloane Square, I would have missed a great treat. Established in the year 2000, the ensemble consists of musicians – string players – aged between 15 and 18. It was founded by its conductor Angelo Moreno, who along with Caitlyn Oher – a student, performed some of the solo violin parts during the concert. Despite the internal air temperature of the church being about 26 degrees Celsius, the musicians played without an interval for an hour and a half. The concert included works by Purcell, Avison, Handel, Couperin, Buonamente, Vivaldi, Geminiani, and Rameau. Each piece was performed superbly. If you did not know, you would not have believed that these excellent musicians were high school pupils. The concert favourably rivalled many baroque performances I have heard by professional orchestras that specialise in baroque music.

The concert was held within a church designed by John Dando Sedding (1838-1891) in a Victorian gothic style, and completed by 1890. Apart from being a spacious church, what makes it special is that most of its decorative features were designed in the Arts and Crafts Movement’s style. Under the influence of people such as John Ruskin and William Morris, the Movement rebelled against industrialisation and encouraged craftsmen, who had been made redundant by the ever-increasing use of machines to manufacture things. The church contains much metalwork with designs characteristic of the Arts and Crafts Movement (a British version of Art Nouveau or Jugendstil). So important is this church as an example of the Movement’s style that Sir John Betjeman named it “The Cathedral of the Arts and Crafts Movement.” The east window, which we could see high above the musicians in the baroque ensemble, was created by the pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones and includes foliage as depicted by William Morris.

Whereas you will have to wait until the Davis High School Baroque Ensemble next visits London, Holy Trinity Church is open every day and welcomes visitors. I recommend that you pay it a visit.