Who painted Gompa Top?

Gompa Top was painted by Mabel Allington Royds in 1925.

Where can I see Gompa Top?

Gompa Top is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artwork

Gompa Top

Mabel Allington Royds , 1925

Gompa Top is a print by Mabel Allington Royds. It dates from 1925 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1925, this colour woodcut by Mabel Allington Royds presents a panoramic view of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, or gompa. The composition is dominated by a rooftop setting where two dark, seated figures flank a low wall and railing, while distant peaks recede beneath a pale sky. The print bears the artist’s initials, M.A. Royds, rendered in pencil on the lower margin.

Subject & Meaning

The central figures appear as guardians, their backs turned toward the viewer, suggesting a protective presence over the sacred space. Behind them, a simple wall and a pole bearing a black banner frame the scene, while the distant architecture with gilded, pointed roofs hints at the broader monastic complex. The tranquil atmosphere invites contemplation of the spiritual isolation of the site.

Technique & Style

Royds employed a colour woodcut process, using carved blocks to apply flat, saturated hues outlined in bold lines. This method creates a graphic clarity that emphasizes shape over detail, giving the composition a calm, almost meditative quality. The limited palette and strong contours reinforce the sense of stillness and spatial depth within the limited plane of the print.

History & Provenance

The work entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains accessible to the public. Signed only with the artist’s initials, the piece reflects Royds’s interest in Asian subjects during the early twentieth century, a period when Western printmakers frequently explored exotic themes through traditional techniques.