23 Works, December 18th. is Frank O. Salisbury's day, his art, illustrated with footnotes #251

Frank O. Salisbury (British, 1874–1962)

Onward Christian Soldiers, c. 1911

Oil on canvas

63 x 90 cm. (24.8 x 35.4 in.)

Private collection

Painted in 1911 it is a figurative landscape of soldiers on the battlefield. The two central characters, the 'Christian Soldiers' from the early crusades have halos and ride through the chaos on white horses. Shafts on light with angels illuminate them and also a crucifix. A very powerful Edwardian religious oil painting and an excellent example of O'Salisbury's work. painted in oil and illuminated in gold leaf.

Frank Owen Salisbury

The passing of war

Watercolour heightened with metallic paints on buff paper

40 x 59cm; 15x 23in

Private collection

Francis ("Frank") Owen Salisbury (18 December 1874 – 31 August 1962) was an English artist who specialised in portraits, large canvases of historical and ceremonial events, stained glass and book illustration. In his heyday he made a fortune on both sides of the Atlantic and was known as "Britain’s Painter Laureate". His art was steadfastly conservative and he was a vitriolic critic of Modern Art – particularly of his contemporaries Picasso, Chagall and Mondrian. His father, Henry Salisbury, described himself as a "plumber, decorator and ironmonger" (his mother was Susan Hawes), yet his son Frank would become one of the greatest society artists of his generation.

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Finding of Moses, c. 1895

Oil on canvas

H 126 x W 100 cm

Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust, Brighton & Hove

The Finding of Moses is the story in chapter 2 of the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible of the finding in the River Nile of Moses as a baby by the daughter of Pharaoh. The story became a common subject in art, especially from the Renaissance onwards. More on The Finding of Moses

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

The Quest of Saint George, c. early 20th C

Oil on canvas

H 152.4 x W 259 cm

National Museum Wales, National Museum Cardiff

Saint George (circa 275/281 – 23 April 303 AD) was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian martyr. His parents were Christians of Greek background; his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was from Lydda, Syria Palaestina. Saint George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

 

In the fully developed Western version of the Saint George Legend, a dragon, or crocodile, makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene in Libya or the city of Lydda in Palistine, depending on the source). Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time, to collect water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at first a sheep, and if no sheep can be found, then a maiden is the best substitute for one. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happens to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but then Saint George appears on his travels. He faces the dragon, protects himself with the sign of the Cross, slays the dragon, and rescues the princess. The citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity. More on Saint George

Francis Owen Salisbury, R.I., R.O.I., R.P. (1874-1962)

King Peter of Serbia retreating across the Albanian Mountains, c. 1915

Oil on canvas

83 x 144 in. (210.8 x 365.8 cm.)

Private collection

King Peter I of Serbia is regarded as one of the great Balkan leaders, both for his personal qualities as a leader, and his role in introducing democracy and reform to Serbia. Born in Belgrade in 1844, he was just 14 when he followed his father Prince Alexander into exile and he would not return to his homeland for over 50 years. In 1903, he returned to Serbia to ascend to the throne in the wake of the coup d'etat and assassination of King Alexander, in which he played no part.

In 1914 Arch-Duke Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated in Sarajevo by the terrorist group, the Black Hand. The assassination provided the Austro-Hungarian with an excuse to check growing Serbian nationalism and they accused Serbia of culpability for the assassination, demanding that Austrian officials be allowed to come to Serbia and lead the investigation into the assassination. Serbia refused, and as a consequence a state of war was established.

Despite repelling two Austro-Hungarian invasions, by autumn 1915, when Bulgaria mobilized its forces against Serbia, the country and army had been weakened by a typhus pandemic and could not withstand a third invasion by Germany and Austro-Hungary in October. With the Serbian army outnumbered two to one, the outcome was inevitable and Belgrade fell. The remainder of the Serbian army, with the aged King Peter and Crown Prince Alexander, retreated through Montenegro and the mountains of northern Albania in freezing conditions. More on this painting

Frank Owen Salisbury

King George V With The Prince Of Wales Visiting The Battlefields Of France, c.  1916

Oil on canvas, arched top

91.5cm x 61cm (36in x 24in)

Private collection

August 10 1916, Fricourt–King George had crossed over to France, visiting troops near Ypres before proceeding down to the Somme. While on the Somme, he met with his son, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), who was serving as a staff officer with XIV Corps.  He also met with General Rawlinson, commander of the Fourth Army.

The high casualties and few gains of the Somme Offensive meant that Haig had quickly gained detractors in Britain. More on King George V visit

One of 11 children, Salisbury was such a delicate child that he was educated at home, in the main by his student teacher sister, Emilie. He had only a few weeks formal schooling and began work by repairing bicycles at his father’s Cycle Depot in Harpenden. Uncertain as to his ability to find and maintain a job, the family determined that he be apprenticed, at the age of 15, to Henry James Salisbury, his eldest brother, who managed a major stained glass company in Alma Road, St Albans. 

Frank O. Salisbury (British, 1874–1962)

Sweetening the Hay

Oil on canvas

108 x 194 cm. (42.5 x 76.4 in.)

Private collection

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Escape: An Incident in the Destruction of Pompeii

Oil on canvas

H 106.5 x W 187.6 cm

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Cleopatra dancing in front of Commodus

Oil on canvas

101.5 x 127cm (39 15/16 x 50in)

Private collection

Commodus was a Roman emperor serving jointly with his father Marcus Aurelius from 176 until his father's death in 180, and solely until 192. His reign is commonly thought of as marking the end of a golden period of peace in the history of the Roman Empire, known as the Pax Romana.

Commodus accompanied his father during the Marcomannic Wars in 172, and on a tour of the Eastern provinces in 176. More on Commodus

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Marchioness of Winchester (1902–1995), c. 1956

Oil on canvas

H 200 x W 107 cm

Guildhall Winchester

Bapsy Paulet, Marchioness of Winchester, was an Indian socialite and aristocrat. She was born Bapsy Pavry of Bombay, the daughter of the Parsi Zoroastrian "Head Priest", the Most Rev. Cursetji Erachji Pavry. Her brother, Dr. Jal Pavry, and she travelled extensively, visiting Germany, Italy, Belgium, Greece, and Egypt, where they were received by Adolf Hitler, Pope Pius XI, Benito Mussolini as well as the respective monarchs of Belgium, Greece, Iran, Afghanistan and Egypt. In England she was received by King George and Queen Mary. She received an MA from Columbia University after initial schooling at St. Xavier's College in Bombay.

She lived in England from a young age, where she pursued a "campaign to become one of the great figures of the age".

Pavry and her brother Jal, also attended the Paris Peace Conference of the victorious Allies after the end of World War I. H. A. J Hulugalle, described her as the 'glamour girl' of the conference and mentions she was sitting in the gallery near to Ho Chi Minh.

In 1952, she married Henry Paulet, 16th Marquess of Winchester and became the Marchioness of Winchester, thought to be the only Indian Marchioness in history. Her husband, the childless widower Marquess, was ninety years old at the time. 

After the death of her brother Jal in 1985, the Marchioness returned to India and lived out the rest of her life there, dying in 1995.

She was active in global Zoroastrian affairs, using her status to petition the Iranian government to improve the status of the persecuted Iranian Zoroastrians. More on the Marchioness of Winchester

Frank O. Salisbury

Golden Threads

Oil on canvas

183 x 127 cm (6' x 4' 2")

Public collection

Frank Owen Salisbury (1874-1962)

The Sen Sisters, c. 1928

Oil on canvas

60 in. (152.5 cm.) diameter

Private collection

The sitters portrayed are Srilata, Arathi and Anjali Sen, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Nirmal Sen. Their grandfather was Keshub Chandra Sen, a distinguished Hindu preacher and one of the founders of the Brahmo religious movement. Their aunt was Suniti Devi who, at the age of 14, was married off to the Maharaja of Cooch Behar in 1878. She became a favourite of the British aristocracy and made Queen Victoria godmother to her son Victor. Suniti's son Jit, first cousin to the Sen sisters married Indira, a daughter of the Maharaja of Baroda and a renowned beauty of her age. More on this painting

He rapidly acquired all the practical skills of a stained glass artist and exhibited exceptional skills in the painterly detail that was applied to glass before its final firing. This led to his brother sponsoring him to attend Heatherley’s School of Art three days a week to further a career in painting. He then won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools which he attended for five years and where he won two silver medals and two scholarships, including the Landseer scholarship which funded his to travel to Italy in 1896. In due course he would have seventy exhibits accepted for the annual Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions, from 1899 until 1943, though he was never offered membership, which reportedly disappointed him very much.

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon before Papal Legates at Blackfriars, 1529, c. 1910

Oil on canvas

H 205.7 x W 210.8 cm

Parliamentary Art Collection

The divorce of Henry VIII from Katherine of Aragon, instigated by the Kings desire for a male heir to the throne, was a major catalyst in the break from Rome and the introduction of Protestantism to England. This illustration shows the dramatic moment where, during the Kings petition for divorce before the Papal Legate and Cardinal Wolsey, the Queen enters the courtroom and kneeling down in sight of the whole court and assembly at the King's feet and in broken English makes her protest against the divorce, 'I take god and all the world to witness that I have been a true, humble and obedient wife'. The illustration depicts both the King and Queen with dark and pensive faces telling a quite personal story. More on this painting

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Battle of Jutland: Boy Cornwell VC.

Oil on canvas

Royal Navy

One of the defining images depicting an event in the Royal Navy’s long history, Boy John Travers Cornwell mortally wounded but standing by his post during the Battle of Jutland in 1916. More on Boy John Travers Cornwell

In 1901 he married Alice Maude (d. 1951), daughter of C. Colmer Greenwood, with whom he had several children, including twin daughters Monica and Sylvia. His first Royal Academy exhibit was a portrait of Alice and he often painted pictures of their children.

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Moses: The Friend of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 63 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Moses' friendship with God is described as a relationship in which God speaks to Moses face to face. In some mysterious way Moses has access to God where Moses may speak his mind freely with God and engage in some persuasive debate. We see this in Exodus 32-33 where Moses tries to persuade God not to destroy Israel after the debacle of the golden calf. More on Moses, The Friend of God

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Elijah: The Warrior of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 73 x W 63 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Elijah, was, according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible, a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab. Elijah defended the worship of the Hebrew God over that of the Canaanite deity Baal. God also performed many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection, bringing fire down from the sky, and entering heaven alive "by fire". He is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as "the sons of the prophets". Following his ascension, Elisha, his disciple and most devoted assistant, took over his role as leader of this school. The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah's return "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD", making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of the eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. References to Elijah appear in Sirach, the New Testament, the Mishnah and Talmud, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and Baháʼí writings. More on Elijah

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Jeremiah: The Mediator of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 63 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Jeremiah was active as a prophet from the thirteenth year of Josiah, king of Judah, until after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon's Temple in 587 BC. This period spanned the reigns of five kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. The prophetess Huldah was a relative and contemporary of Jeremiah while the prophet Zephaniah was his mentor.

In addition to proclaiming many prophecies of Yahweh, the God of Israel, the Book of Jeremiah goes into detail regarding the prophet's private life, his experiences, and his imprisonment. More on Jeremiah

One of a series of dramatic oil on canvas studies of the biblical prophets by Frank O. Salisbury. Salisbury's work was illustrated in 'The Prophets of Israel', in 1933. More on this painting

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Daniel: The Statesman of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 62 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Daniel, meaning "God is my Judge", the hero of the biblical Book of Daniel, is a Jewish youth of Jerusalem taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, serving the king and his successors with loyalty and ability until the time of the Persian conqueror Cyrus, all the while remaining true to the God of Israel. The consensus of most modern scholars is that Daniel is not an historical figure and that the book is a cryptic allusion to the reign of the 2nd century BCE Hellenistic king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. More on Daniel

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Jonah: The Messenger of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 62 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Jonah is a prophet in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran, from Gath-hepher of the northern kingdom of Israel in about the 8th century BCE. Jonah is the central figure of the Book of Jonah, which details his reluctance in delivering God's judgement on the city of Nineveh, and then his subsequent, albeit begrudged, return to the divine mission after he is swallowed by a large sea creature. More on Jonah

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Ezekiel: The Priest-Prophet of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 63 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Ezekiel, prophet-priest of ancient Israel and the subject and in part the author of an Old Testament book that bears his name. Ezekiel’s early oracles (from c. 592) in Jerusalem were pronouncements of violence and destruction; his later statements addressed the hopes of the Israelites exiled in Babylon. The faith of Ezekiel in the ultimate establishment of a new covenant between God and the people of Israel has had profound influence on the postexilic reconstruction and reorganization of Judaism. More on Ezekiel

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Amos: The Spokesman of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 75 x W 63 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Amos, an older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah, was active c. 750 BC during the reign of Jeroboam II (788–747 BC) of Samaria, making Amos the first prophetic book of the Bible to be written. Amos lived in the kingdom of Judah but preached in the northern kingdom of Israel. His major themes of social justice, God's omnipotence, and divine judgment became staples of prophecy. More on Amos

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Isaiah: The Appointed of God, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 62 x W 72 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Isaiah 49:5 GNT; Before I was born, the LORD appointed me; he made me his servant to bring back his people, to bring back the scattered people of Israel. The LORD gives me honor; he is the source of my strength. 

Frank O. Salisbury (1874–1962)

Second Isaiah: The Forerunner of God's Great Day, c. before 1954

Oil on canvas

H 62 x W 72 cm

John Wesley’s House & The Museum of Methodism

Chapters 40–55 in the Book of Isaiah are believed to be the work of a prophet who lived with the Hebrew exiles during the Babylonian captivity. Because this prophet's real name is unknown and his work has been preserved in the collection of writings that include the prophecies of the earlier Isaiah, he is usually designated as Deutero-Isaiah — the second Isaiah. More on the Second Isaiah

Following his studies at the Royal Academy, London and a scholarship to visit Italy in 1896, he developed a taste for large scenes of pageantry and portraiture, painted in traditional style. He worked particularly in Britain and the United States of America, where he was known as Britain's 'Painter Laureate'.

Salisbury died on 31 August 1962 at Sarum Chase, the neo-Tudor mansion he built, in 1932, in Hampstead, London. He is buried in a rather unassuming grave, with his baby daughter Elaine Maude and his wife, in St Nicholas Churchyard, Harpenden. More on Frank O. Salisbury

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints and 365 Days, also visit my Boards on Pinterest

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.

If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends and family.

Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.

Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.