Featured Artwork: The Cello Song

Heraldic Shield and Verse

'Cello Song

The low passion-call of the plaintive 'Cello
Sounds Season's Fall, the months of mellow
Haze, the days of dreams - of yellow
Leaves - of lazy streams.

The year's last Rose then grows alone
Among the hips, her lips part blown
For kiss of Bee, but he has flown,
False - to winters dreams.

So the wailing "cello in monotone
Pleads the Rose's grief with resonant moan-
"Life's love is brief-" is its eerie drone
"This world is not but
                                      seems!"

The Cellist

This illumination by Woodward was brought to us by its current owner. It is framed under glass, which makes photographing it very difficult. The glass takes away from truly capturing it's vibrant detail and beauty.

Woodward began his career as a commercial artist (1911) making illustrations for publications in print, designing bookplates (popular and fashionable at the time- a bookplate was a sort of label for a specific "coat-of-arms" and the name from its owner to be added to a book in the person's collection or library and among other things such as catalogues of professionals, and he made custom "illuminations" for "any occasion" including artwork and verse.

Woodward's
signature credit

There are so many questions we have regarding this unique illumination... (1) Did the cellist pose for the drawing? (2) Was she someone RSW knew or was she a client? (3) Where was the work done - is this his studio or was it her home? (4) Was this actually something he produced himself? Did he write the verse and then did the artwork?

None the less, we are so thrilled to add it to our catalogue of his work.