I’m being unkind, but realistic, when I entitle this the bulk of the work. What I mean to say in the most loving way is that Bolton’s creative output was far beyond his means to fulfill. When his studio was emptied there were thousands of drawings and sketches from projects never completed. Many were never paid for, but in some cases, he never found the emotional strength to complete them.
This marvelous figure drawing was for a great Rood beam he spent many many hours designing for the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge, PA. Other drawings from this set exist as he produced quite a stream of them for what was a very exciting project. Sadly, he had been mislead by well meaning people who dreamt they could actually afford to pay for such a large and elaborate project and he was never properly recompensed for his time. It shows his considerable power as a draughtsman.
One thing I should say is that my scanner could not scan the entire piece, hence some missing fingers. It’s shameful to loose those bits and I hope one day to have it properly scanned and preserved.
March 23, 2009 at 10:41 pm |
I love it.
March 24, 2009 at 2:34 pm |
Thanks, yes it’s very beautiful.
June 23, 2009 at 6:06 pm |
Thanks for organizing the web tribute to Bolton Morris. It captures his spirit and the way he created which, as his nephew, was a part of my childhood. Watching him gilding a station of the cross as a young boy was a magical experience – seeing him coax the gold leaf onto the gessoed wood and listening to his running ( humorous )commentary through the whole process was an educational experience on many levels, as was Uncle Bo.
June 23, 2009 at 7:26 pm |
RW, as your Uncle Bo called you in my presence, thanks for your appreciation. I remain in awe of his gifts and his humanity.