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Louis Osman
Proposal for St John's Smith Square architectural design by Louis Osman FRIBA

1953

About the Item

Louis Osman was an English artist, architect, goldsmith, silversmith and medallist. He is notable for the gold coronet he designed and made for the investiture in 1969 of Charles, Prince of Wales. We have acquired a large archive of Osman's works form his daughter; to see the other Osman works available, please scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller." Louis Osman (1914 - 1996) Proposal for St John's Smith Square (1953) Watercolour 70 x 52 cm Signed in red crayon lower right. Louis Osman's proposal for the post-war, post-bombing redevelopment of St John's church on Smith Square. Osman had envisioned an interior with a ceiling painted by Picasso; sadly, this project was never executed. The church was bombed in 1941 and gutted by fire; subsequently, the church was a ruin open to the sky for over 20 years. It was saved by Lady Parker of Waddington, who formed the Friends of St John's in 1962 to raise money and restore the church to its former glory - a reconstruction in the style of the church's original architect, Thomas Archer. Osman was as much an artist as an architect. He studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture; he was awarded a First Class degree and the Donaldson Medal of the RIBA (for the best result in his year group), and then went on to the Slade School of Art. He subsequently trained with Sir Albert Richardson - we also have several Richardson works in our collection. After the war, Osman busied himself as an architect. His work included contributions to Westminster Abbey, and Lincoln, Exeter, Ely, and Lichfield Cathedrals, Staunton Harold Church in Ashby de la Zouch for the National Trust, and of course his folly: the Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house, Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire, now a National Trust property. At Canons Ashby he established a workshop and had a team of silversmiths and goldsmiths working for him. In 1976 he made the gold enamelled casket that holds the copy of the Magna Carta on view in the United States Capitol, Washington, DC.
  • Creator:
    Louis Osman (1914 - 1996, British)
  • Creation Year:
    1953
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Width: 20.48 in (52 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
    Generally very good.
  • Gallery Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU795312933302
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