Piper, John: Corbels at Kilpeck – SOLD

Now this is a real rarity. This is the only copy of this characterful limited edition screenprint we’ve come across in 10 years. It’s signed and numbered 11 of 75 in pencil and was printed by Charles Broome. The Church of St Mary and St David is a Grade I listed Norman parish church at Kilpeck in Herefordshire, about 5 miles from the border with Monmouthshire. The church is famous for the number and fine condition of its 12th century carvings in local red sandstone which have been attributed to the Herefordshire School of stonemasons. It is these which attracted John Piper to the church in the 1930s. We are grateful to Hugh Fowler-Wright, Piper collector and author, for providing this background to the production of the ‘Corbels at Kilpeck’. ‘Kenneth Lindley (Principal of Hereford College of Art from 1971 to 1986) told John Piper about the Friends of Herefordshire Museums and Arts (FHMA) and how he was making a brochure to promote the organisation. Piper offered this image where he picks out six of the exotic heads from Kilpeck’s famous corbel table and conveys something of their primitiveness through his caricature of white drawings on a deep maroon background. The original composition of six heads did not look quite right so Piper repeated versions of two of the corbels to extend the image horizontally. At a subsequent relaunch held at Croft Castle in March 1977 Lord Croft asked Piper if it could be made into a print to raise further funds to which Piper willingly agreed. Piper suggested head scarves could be made although this never seems to have happened.’ More images can be provided on request. Artist: John Piper (1903 – 1992) Title and date: Corbels at Kilpeck, 1976, (Levinson 261) Size: image: 23.5 x 33.7 cms.; framed size: 38 x 56.5 cms.