Karin Fernald gave members of the Arts Society Wokingham a fascinating insight into the life and times of the creator of the lions in Trafalgar Square, Sir Edwin Landseer.
The four bronze lions are some of the world’s most famous sculptures, but they were created by Sir Edwin Landseer who was much better known as a painter, albeit a painter of animals.
He was not the first person to be offered the commission but he willingly accepted it and set to work. He applied the same painstaking approach to anatomical detail as he had when painting dogs and stags.
He studied the lions in Regent’s Park Zoo and even had the body of one that died in the Zoo delivered to his home where he dissected it.
It was a decade before the four lions were eventually completed and unveiled on June 30, 1867.
When Landseer died, six years later, he was given a public funeral and buried in St Paul’s Cathedral. Crowds lined the streets and black wreaths were wrapped around the necks of his lions in Trafalgar Square.
Karin is a theatre and TV actor and she used her acting skills to great advantage, keeping her audience entertained and informed.
As one member said: “Her memory of details and non-stop faultless delivery were indeed outstanding. She made the artist come alive.”
Karin’s dry sense of humour gave her audience a fascinating insight into life in 19th century society.
She described how, in 1820, John Russell, the sixth Duke of Bedford, commissioned the young Landseer to paint his young wife’s portrait. Soon Landseer became a frequent visitor and their favourite house guest.
At dinner parties he loved to entertain the guests with ghost stories Karin hinted that his relationship with the Duchess was more than simply friendship.
He is reputed to have fathered one, if not two, of the Duchess’s many children.
After the Duke’s death Landseer proposed to the Duchess but she turned him down, causing him to suffer a nervous breakdown.
His last years were marred by mental instability.
In contrast, the Society’s March lecture is a celebration of the arrival of spring. Why not come along and discover the glorious paintings of Joaquin Sorolla?
Jacqueline Cockburn will be sharing her love of his paintings and explaining how he achieved this extraordinary feeling of light and colour.
The talk is on Monday, March 20, at King’s Academy, Binfield – the Society’s new home. The school has excellent facilities including a well-lit car park and plenty of space to mingle while enjoying tea or coffee and biscuits before the talk, which starts at 7.45pm.
Guests are always welcome but do email memsectheartssocietywham@gmail.com to register beforehand. The talk will also be live streamed and available to watch from home on the society’s own YouTube channel.
For further details please visit the Society’s website
www.The ArtsSocietyWokingham.org.uk
Sue Bryant
