Christ Enthroned

Executed in watercolour, the work employs soft, translucent layers and precise linear outlines to define form. The figures appear flattened, with minimal shading, echoing Byzantine and medieval iconography. Gold and blue halos and borders enhance the otherworldly tone, while the restrained palette supports a sense of solemnity and timelessness.

Created around 1915, the watercolour served as a full-scale model for a mosaic installed in Westminster Cathedral between 1915 and 1916. The mosaic was fabricated by the firm Messrs. Powell, known for ecclesiastical glass and mosaic work. The original study remained in the artist’s possession and later entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection as part of its holdings on religious art.

This watercolour aligns with broader movements seeking to reconnect modern worship spaces with historical visual traditions.

The commission reflected early 20th-century efforts to revive liturgical art in British Catholic churches, drawing inspiration from early Christian and medieval precedents. Westminster Cathedral’s design, in Byzantine style, called for imagery that emphasized spiritual authority over naturalism. This watercolour aligns with broader movements seeking to reconnect modern worship spaces with historical visual traditions.

The watercolour survives as a key document of the mosaic’s development, illustrating the transition from preparatory design to permanent ecclesiastical decoration. It remains a representative example of how early 20th-century British artists engaged with sacred iconography, blending traditional symbolism with modern materials and methods to serve a renewed liturgical vision.