St Paul’s cathedral shop have sold my Iconic London range of cufflinks for a few years now, but I am about to embark upon producing some bespoke work for them. Today I went to the cathedral to meet my contacts there and to have a wander round and look at possible features to photograph and use on jewellery and perhaps clocks.
The last time I went in St Paul’s was a couple of years ago when some Spanish friends were over – so not so long ago, however it is difficult not to be bowled over by its magnificence as if you are seeing it for the first time! It is a wonderful combination of simplicity and complexity, the dark wood of the choir and the rich brilliance of the mosaic ceiling at one end contrasting with the whiteness of the stone, and the simplicity of the section to the other side of the dome – unadorned as Wren intended. Also the beautiful brightness of it on a sunny day (like today) thanks to the second world war bombings which blew out the stained glass windows – which Wren also hadn’t wanted! We have Queen Victoria to thank for the rich ornateness, she thought the plainness of the cathedral dreary and “undevotional” – so off with its head!
I didn’t climb up to the Whispering Gallery – and further – but I did last time I visited and enjoyed the bracing wind and great views across London.
And then there is the Crypt . . . with its mosaic floor laid by the female inmates of Woking gaol who were locked in each day to apply themselves to the task in hand. They started at one end and by the time they got to the other they were expert mosaic craftswomen!! Perhaps they were inspired by the great and good who were interred there – a who’s who from Wellington and Nelson to Joshua Reynolds and Turner – or maybe if you just do something enough you get good at it!
So I look forward to exploring many details of the cathedral through the eye of my camera, a rare privilege as photography is not allowed inside the cathedral. I’ll let you know how I get on . . .
