Tucked into the corner of the Library of Lydiard House Museum is a small piece by John Piper. Painted in 1940, it shows the interior of St. Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze.
Lydiard House Museum is filled with old oil paintings of members of the St John family. Next door sits the church of St. Mary’s which still features medieval wall paintings around the family monuments. So, this small oil, pen, and ink piece presents an interesting contrast to the rest of the collection.
John Piper worked as a painter, printmaker, and designer. He favoured landscape paintings, particularly those featuring churches and monuments. Piper moved between abstraction and a distinctive form of naturalism during his career. This painting demonstrates that transition.
The painting depicts the St John family monuments, focusing on the Golden Cavalier, Captain Edward St John, who was fatally injured while fighting for the Royalists at the Battle of Newbury.
Purchased for Lydiard House Museum with the assistance of the National Art Collections Fund.
Link: St. John Family Monuments – St Mary’s Church Lydiard Tregoze (stmaryslydiardtregoze.org.uk
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