A reredos depicting the Ascension of Christ, surrounded by the Four Evangelists, for Holy Trinity Church, Bournemouth

This altarpiece was commissioned by Rev. Arthur Blunt in memorial of his predecessor Rev. Canon William Eliot (1832-1910). In 1906 Rev. Blunt had commissioned Byam Shaw to paint a double portrait of his sons Wilfrid and Christopher and in 1910 he asked the artist to paint this reredos (W. Blunt, Married to a Single Life, Salisbury, 1983, p. 14). The framework was designed by the Gothic revivalist architect Sir Arthur Blomfield (1829–1899) who had, among other things, designed a Sanctuary in the Church of St Peter, Bournemouth. The work is also signed by Gilbert Anthony Pownall (1877-1960), with whom Byam Shaw had worked in St Barnabus, Addison Road, London, in the early 20th Century. The reredos was dedicated in December 1910 by Rev. Canon Eliot’s brother, the Dean of Windsor.

Byam Shaw’s friend Rex Vicat Cole, with whom he opened The Byam Shaw and Vicat Cole Art School in May 1910, noted ‘Later he started a large reredos for Holy Trinity Church, Bournemouth. We find notes about the preparation of it thus: “Prepared Ascension Panel with Zinc White and Terebin, leaving haloes.” “Prepared Lion with Zinc White and petrol.” “Painted Matthew’s head from photograph of Sir Hugh Low.” “Repainted parts of head of John; altered Luke’s right arm, looks better, but not right,” etc. “Laid in the Father and sky. Top pure black then pure cobalt and white. Cobalt, white and yellow ochre to yellow ochre horizon.’ (Vicat Cole, loc. cit.).