Bas Relief Gallery

Monument to Dr. Alison, at Edinburgh, 1845. Creator: Unknown

Monument to Dr. Alison, at Edinburgh, 1845. Sculpture in memory of Scottish priest and essayist Archibald Alison. The chaste and classical mezzo-relievo to the memory of Dr. Alison the author of the "Essay on Taste," which has been recently erected in St. Paul's Chapel, Edinburgh, is from the chisel of Mr. Steil, who has already earned a high reputation as a sculptor, not only in his native Scotland, but throughout the country. The work in question is well calculated to increase his reputation, as much from its poetic design as from its beautiful execution. We have reason to know that the medallion on which the profile appears was pronounced by the relatives...Dr. Alison...was esteemed as a pious and earnest promoter and preacher of the doctrines of the Episcopal Church of Scotland'. From "Illustrated London News", 1845, Vol VII

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Assyrian decoration, (1898). Creator: Unknown

Assyrian decoration, (1898). Examples of ancient Assyrian painting, polychrome sculpture and pottery from what is now Iraq: Fig 1: Portion of a glazed brick from a palace at Khorsabad. Figs 2-4: Painted bas-reliefs from Koyunjik [Kuyunjik, Nineveh]. Fig 5: Painted ornament from Nimroud [Nimrud]. Fig 6: Glazed brick from Khorsabad. Figs 7-10: Painted ornaments from Nimroud. Figs 11-12: Sacred trees. Painted bas-reliefs from Nimroud. Fig 13: Painted ornament from Nimroud. Fig 14: Enamelled brick from Khorsabad...The excavations on the banks of the Tigris at Khorsabad, Nimroud and Koyunjik brought to light a great number of architectural remains, paintings and sculptures of Assyrian origin, which give us an idea of the magnificence and the exuberant luxury of the buildings of this nation. Assyrian ornament certainly betrays Egyptian influence, but there is no denying its originality...The winged male figure in the midst of our plate symbolizes the soul'. Plate 3 from "The Historic Styles of Ornament" translated from the German of H. Dolmetsch. [B.T. Batford, London, 1898]

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Meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I, at The Field of Cloth of Gold, 1520, (1902)

Meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I, at The Field of Cloth of Gold, 1520, (1902). Portion of the central bas-relief of a series of five said to represent the Camp du Drap d'Or in the courtyard of the 15th-century Hotel de Bourgtheroulde, Rouen. Lavishly decorated tents were constructed at the field of the Cloth of Gold, the meeting place near Calais in France, where Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France met to arrange an alliance between their countries between June 7 and 24, 1520. Illustration from Henry VIII, by A F Pollard, published by Goupil and Co, (London, New York, Paris, Edinburgh, 1902)

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