Saturday 11 May 2013

Mixed Media Shadow Box Picture - The Tichbourne Claimant

Well I surprised myself by being able to finish a long term project. Luckily a day course finished ahead of time, so I took the chance to take some picture of this latest work.



The main illustration used in this piece came from The Graphic Newspaper dated June 14th 1873, that is 140 years old. As always I have used the original image. The trial and the claim on the Tichbourne estate was a real item of interest. The judges, barristers, claimant and the witnesses had the same fame as the superstars of today do.


I was fascinated by the story. So this piece is called The Theatre of Justice. I've tried to give the flavour of a theatre with the Victorian fringing giving a hint of stage curtains. then the little pegs as floodlights at the front of the stage.



The judges have been set on draught pieces and are atop engravings of London buildings. The heads are dried Poppy Seed Heads. They are set above everything to show they are in charge.



The "dock" is made from a childs' wooden brick and brass curtain hooks. Miss Mary Ann Loder is in the dock. She is directly in front of the fraudulent claimant.



The back board was already painted gold and I did some image transfers of old hymn pages. They were then sanded and rubbed, tinted with some glaze and varnished.


The court was packed every day of the trial with members of the public and Newspaper reporters.

This turned out just as I wanted, now I just have to figure out if I need to put it in a display case or leave it naked. It measures 16 x 12 inches.


18 comments:

  1. Brilliant! Poppy seed heads? very kool. like little crowns. i wish i could see it live.
    i love the story, and the title says it all!

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  2. Amazing ideas-great story to have made the piece for.

    chrissie x

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  3. Wonderful piece of Art Joan - so interesting !!!

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  4. Wow the detail in this is amazing. I really like the mix of materials that you have used too. It really comes to life.

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  5. A really interesting piece of work and so detailed

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  6. That's really interesting and I love how it has a whole story attached. Just lovely.

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  7. Fantastic!
    I love those poppy seed heads

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  8. Wow, that's fabulous. I love the idea of the judges on the top above everything. And what a fascinating subject too. xx

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  9. A superb piece of work. The detail is amazing xx

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  10. what an amazing creation! I love the interesting history attached to it x

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  11. very very creative.... love those poppy heads.....xx

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  12. This is lovely and I really like the way you use a true historical story behind it and then bring it to life so creatively

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  13. This piece is amazing! You've told the story really well and your use of objects is great. I especially like the use of the poppy seed heads for the judge's heads. How did you come up with that idea, let alone have the seed heads about to use.
    Beautiful.

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    1. I am an impossible hoarder of all things that look totally useless to others but posses endless possibilities to me. I picked and dried them one year when we had a glut of annual poppies on the veg plot. So glad you like this one. x J

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  14. Thank you for sharing the full story with us, I love the level of detail you have included.

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Your comments are all read and appreciated. Hope you will forgive me if I miss commenting on your comment, I will be busy doing art :-) x Joan