Frederic Shields
Frederic James Shields (14 March 1833 – 26 February 1911) was a British artist, illustrator, and designer closely associated with the Pre-Raphaelites through Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Ford Madox Brown.
Influenced by Rossetti and Ford Madox Brown, Shields was sensitive to the artistic legacy of William Blake who was admired by the Pre-Raphaelites.
These changes can be seen in his most significant book design – the second edition of Alexander Gilchrist's Life of William Blake (London: Macmillan, 1880.
"[4]'The first light (left side) is Rossetti's own design adapted by Shields from The Passover in the Holy Family: Gathering Bitter Herbs (watercolour, 1855–56, Tate Gallery).
Died at Birchington Easter Day 1882.” An extract from Rossetti's brother's diary states a man from D Brucciani & Co, London was commissioned to take a cast of Gabriel's face.
He shared a stained glass commission with her named The Britomart Window at the Cheltenham Ladies' College based upon six pictures taken from Spenser's allegory The Faerie Queene.
Emily produced a portrait of Frederic Shields (shown above) and when he finally retired to Merton in Surrey she frequently visited him.
Madox Brown did however immortalise Shields in one of the Manchester Murals: he made him sit for Wycliffe in the fresco of the Reformer's Trial.
Eaton Hall in Cheshire was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and built in 1873–1874 for Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster (1825–1899).
This large-scale commission helped him to clarify and formulate his thoughts on Art as applied to the Faith: "Nearly ninety subjects, all told, not isolated, but such as could be linked in blessed continuity – to keep the heart hot, and the mind quick, with its grand purpose – the Praise of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, from the lives of apostles, prophets, martyrs, and the Holy Church of all the ages.
Mr Shields’s career as an artist, shows, that from making lithographic prints for bedecking bolts of calico, he rose by hard work to be one of the leading painters of religious subjects in England.
Alexander McLaren who saw them in April 1879, wrote: "Wealth of reverent thought and profound suggestiveness /.../ in power and harmony, in weighty meaning expressed in fair shape, in delightful and not too misty symbolism they seem to me to surpass all that you have done, so far as I know it.
The designs were reworked and re-used a few years later, at St Elisabeth's Church, Reddish, Stockport, which was commissioned by WH Houldsworth from Alfred Waterhouse.
In comparison with the Kilmarnock chapel, the decorative scheme was much expanded, and Shields' cartoons provided designs for stained-glass windows.
[10] His intense religious feeling was expressed even more strongly in his last large-scale project: the cycle of murals that he painted in 1888–1910 for the Chapel of the Ascension in the Bayswater Road, London.
The initial idea was however developed and clarified under the strong influence of Shields' religious feelings and artistic views: "It involves great issues, and may lead to a new departure in the alliance or service of Art to Piety.
I would wish it lit from the roof, shut out from all but heaven’s vault…"[11] Mrs Russell Gurney suggested that Shields and Horne travel to Northern Italy for close study of examples of Renaissance architecture and decoration.
He wrote to G. F. Watts: "I should have to write a book to lay before you my scheme, but Prophets and Apostles, Christian Virtues and worldly vices, Gospel and Apostolic history, types and symbols all enter into it.
The harmony of decorative art and architecture which had been achieved by Horne and Shields was greatly appreciated by their much younger contemporary Frank Brangwyn.
The inscription below the south aisle window reads – To the Glory of God initiated by lay helpers of this parish, dedicated at the Coronation of King Edward VII (1902) On 15 August 1874 in Manchester, Shields married Matilda Booth (b.
