Mural: St Mary's trompe l'oeil - Siddons
{On the plaque attached to the plinth:}
Sarah Siddons
Siddons lived at Westbourne Green, 1805 - 17, and is buried in St Mary’s Churchyard.
Site: St Marys parish hall - Paddington (6 memorials)
W2, St Mary's Square, Blossom Lower School
This 1981 Quinlan Terry building was originally the vestry or parish hall. It is decorated with trompe l'oeil statuary, 2 items on each of the four sides. Starting at the east end of the northern face, anti-clockwise: urn with "Alumno Fides" and the date 1981; William Hogarth; unknown 1; unknown 2; unknown 3; urn with no text; Sarah Siddons; Emma Hamilton.
Our ever-helpful Latin consultant, David Hopkins, suggests a good translation of "Alumno Fides" would be something like "A child deserves our trust", which must refer to the use of the building for educating children.
In the spirit of the artwork we have classified these memorials as statues. The trick of the eye works well and one is briefly fooled. However the modelling of the faces is less professional - perhaps that is a quite different skill.
We cannot find the name of the artist and three of the statues are unidentified, or the name has washed away. They presumably each have some connection with the locality and are probably based on well-known images. Via the school we have contacted the vicar but received no response. Please contact us if you can help identify the unknowns.
