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Sculpture

Convent of the Holy Child Jesus

Erection date: 5/5/1953

have a photo from the day of the unveiling, captioned: "May 05, 1953 - Epstein in Group Unveiled at the Convent of the Holy Child Jesus.: Mr. R.A. Butler, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, this afternoon unveiled a three-ton Madonne and Child in the convent of the Holy Child Jesus in Cavendish-Square. The Group is the work of Jacob Epstein. Photo Shows Mr. Butler, standing in window on right, unveils the statue watched by the crowd below."

This was not erected as a memorial but the Convent closed only 16 years after the sculpture was erected.

Site: Convent of the Holy Child Jesus (1 memorial)

W1, Cavendish Square

has a 1942 photo of the building to the left, with the commentary: "View of large town house at 14 Cavendish Square (north side), Marylebone, with number 13 at the back. Together with numbers 11-12 it forms a pair of Palladian-style townhouses on each side of Dean's Mews; the bridge by Louis Osman which now connects the two buildings was yet to be built. They date from 1770 and are Grade II* listed; listing number 1066306. Built by a Mr Tufnell {MP, 1723–1798} to house the Academy of the Society of Dilettanti, they served as the premises of the Roman Catholic Convent of the Holy Child Jesus from 1889 until 1969. ...".

have a photo of the lead maquette and "The architect Louis Osman was working on the buildings in Cavendish Square, London, occupied by the Convent of the Holy Child Jesus when he commissioned Epstein to 'prepare a maquette ... The maquette was produced within a week and approved by the nuns without the sculptor's name being disclosed'. Once the nuns discovered it was Epstein a crisis developed. The nuns were alarmed at the choice of Epstein and refused to approve the sculpture. At this stage, the head of the Madonna was based on Epstein's then mistress, Kathleen Garman. Once the model for the head had been changed and Epstein 'had been called before the community and catechized on his attitude to the work ... the nuns gave their final approval to the scheme' (see E. Silber, The Sculpture of Epstein, Oxford, 1986, p. 209)."

also has a lead maquette photograph and another interesting commentary: "Epstein's serene Cavendish Square Madonna and Child cast in lead is, in both senses, an iconic masterpiece of 20th century British sculpture. Dating from towards the end of his life, .... The present maquette is one of two cast in lead c. 1950-52. In the aftermath of World War II, the Sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus commissioned the architect and goldsmith Louis Osman (1914-1996) to restore their bomb damaged buildings at 11-13 Cavendish Square, London. This involved a bridge linking two of the 18th century houses. A key part of Osman's conception was that there be a first rate sculpture placed on its façade as if suspended in mid-air.  ... He chose Epstein in preference to Henry Moore and John Skeaping. ... Both Osman and Epstein quickly sensed their collaboration would result in a masterpiece. Perhaps surprisingly the controversial non-Catholic sculptor and the nuns developed a deep sense of mutual respect and understanding, succinctly expressed in a passage from a letter he wrote to the Reverend Mother ... the reward is that I had the opportunity to do a lasting work, carrying a spiritual message to all."

have a photo of a cherub head door handle with the commentary: "The architect Louis Osman commissioned Epstein to create a series of door handles for the Convent of the Holy Child Jesus, Cavendish Square, London in 1952. The present work depicts a cherub from this series, and was modeled after his grandson Ian Hornstein, the son of his daughter Peggy Jean Hornstein."

And reports that the lead for the sculpture came from the roof of the bombed building.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Convent of the Holy Child Jesus

Subjects commemorated i

Convent of the Holy Child Jesus

The Roman Catholic Society of the Holy Child Jesus was founded in a Convent i...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Convent of the Holy Child Jesus

Created by i

Sir Jacob Epstein

Sculptor and painter, renowned for producing controversial works of art that ...

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