Lot 107: Frank Pickford Marriott (British, 1876-1935) The Annunciation

Frank Pickford Marriott (British, 1876-1935)
The Annunciation signed, inscribed and dated 'PICKFORD/MARRIOTT/DES:ET:DEL/1901-08' (lower right); inscribed 'THE ANNVNCIATION' (lower centre); inscribed 'by/F. Pickford Marriott A.R.C.A. (London)/The Studio/18 First Avenue Walmer/PORT ELIZABETH' (on a label attached to the reverse) painted gesso and mother-of-pearl on panel62.8 x 94cm (24 3/4 x 37in).
ProvenancePrivate collection, UK.ExhibitedLondon, Royal Academy, 1912, no. 1887.According to the Royal Academy listings, Frank Pickford Marriott's address at the time of his three submissions between 1905 and 1912 was 6 Netherton Grove, Chelsea, S.W, the same address listed for his brother, Frederick Marriott, until 1917. Since Frank Pickford Marriott was based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa from around 1903, having been appointed as an art master at Port Elizabeth Art School, we can therefore surmise that he returned to London to work in the studio of his brother on a series of decorative panels in painted and inlaid gesso. On some occasions the brothers would collaborate; one example, The Faithful Knight in Equal Field Subdues His Faithless Foe, a large painted gesso and mother-of-pearl panel executed circa 1900-1905, was sold Sotheby's, London, 3 November 1993, lot 226.Frederick Marriott gave a lecture detailing the particulars of the craft, which was later published by Philippe Garner, Unpublished Notes on Gesso by Frederick Marriott, 'The bulletin of the Decorative Arts Society 1890-1940', Number 1, n.d., pp. 28-35. In the lecture, Marriott expands on the art of gesso and treatment for the mother-of-pearl, to maximise the 'wonderful colour and iridescent qualities' 'I followed up this experiment by boiling pieces of shell in other colours, blues, reds and yellows, with equally good results...The method of polishing the shell is with corks dipped in oil and emergy powder first and afterwards with putty powder, followed by oil and whiting, and finished with oil and rouge powder. The more highly polished the surface of the shell is, the more brilliant are the colours reflected...' Detailing the method he explains '...a tracing of the subject was fixed on a drawing board, and the pieces of shell were shaped and stuck to the tracing paper with gum. This was done with the board in a vertical position with the light falling on it from the left hand, and the work had to be completed in this lighting, because every change in the direction of the light gives a different effect on the shell. When the shell portion of the design was completed in this way the gesso modelling was commenced...On the completion...a raised gesso outline was added after all the gesso work had been carefully stopped with French polish. The next process was to cover all the gesso work either with gold leaf or platinum leaf according to whether a warm or cool effect was desired...It will be observed how valuable the raised gilded outline is to the decorative effect...'Marriott claims that 'there is no natural material finer than shell. Indeed, one finds occasional pieces which give more brilliant lustre than any precious stones.' Both brothers used the brightness and majestic qualities of this material to explore subjects centred around strong escapist tendencies - Arthurian legend, romantic subjects, majestic angels of the night, shimmering costume and ethereal creatures. Exhibited at the Royal Academy by both Frederick and Pickford were such works as The Virgin enthroned (1907, no. 1701), The Reward of Valour (1905 no. 1669), A praising angel (1905, no. 1812) and Guenevere (1908, no. 1962).