'Josefina de Vasconcellos'
|
Josefina de Vasconcellos was born in 1904. Her father was a wealthy Brazilian diplomat who
helped ensure Josefina was able to develop her artistic talents through a childhood shared
between England and Brazil. In 1921 she gained a scholarship to the Royal Academy and was
soon sufficiently expressive in stone carving to be placed as runner-up in the 1930 Prix de
Rome contest. And at the age of 19 she was accepted to the Grand Chaumiere in Paris where she
studied under Bourdelle, one of Rodin's assistants.
In 1930 she was drawn to the artist Delmar Banner, who was also an Anglican lay priest,
and whom she later married. He led her to be baptised into the Anglican church, a faith that has run
through much of her artistic work.
|
 |
Detail from Josefina's Madonna and Child
in St Paul's Cathedral, London |
|
They adopted two boys, and the family settled in a farmhouse at The Bield in Little Langdale
at the heart of the Lakes.
She carved in an outhouse at the farm while Delmar painted dramatic
landscapes from the summits of the Lakeland fells. In 1967 through
associations with Pelham House approved school in West Cumbria
the family helped found Outpost Emmaus an outward bound type of
centre at Beckstones in the Duddon valley for disadvantaged boys.
It was such work that led to Josefina being honoured with the
MBE.
There then followed numerous large commissions that expressed Josefina's flowing naturalistic
carving. This was at a time when mainstream sculptured art was toying with the more abstract
styles of Moore and Hepworth.
Among her works outside Cumbria are are 'Reconciliation' at Coventry Cathedral
and Bradford University, 'Holy Family' at Liverpool Cathedral and Gloucester Cathedral,
'Mary and Child' at St Paul's Cathedral, London, 'Nativity' (at Christmas) at
St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square, London, and many more.
|
In 1988 illness forced Josefina to leave Little Langdale and
for a time she was accommodated at Isel Hall near Cockermouth.
Then she was able to find a small cottage and studio at Peggy
Hill, Ambleside. She continues her creative work into her 90s.
 |
| 'The Family of Man' at Kendal Parish Church |
 |
Josefina de Vasconcellos carving 'Escape to Light'
at Rydal Hall Gardens in 1996. |
 |
 |
 |
| Greystoke | St Bees Priory | St Bees School |
Recently Sir Richard Branson has commissioned a £50,000 work from 97-year-old Josefina de
Vasconcellos, the world's oldest living sculptor.
The proposed work, Reconciliation, is the brainchild of the international ministry team at
Coventry Cathedral, which works to reconcile zones of conflict world-wide. It would continue a
series by de Vasconcellos, whose other works on the theme can be seen in Coventry Cathedral, at
the Berlin Wall and in Hiroshima. Peter Mandelson, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland,
is blocking plans for a peace sculpture made of decommissioned weapons to be erected in the
grounds of Stormont in Belfast. Talks continue. [April 2000 - The Independent].
 |
| Josefina de Vasconcellos at St Bees, 2005 |
|
Josefina died peacefully at 6am on Wednesday 20th July 2005, a few months after her 100th birthday, at Orchard
Lodge nursing home in Blackpool. She moved there at the end of June after spending most of her life in the Lake District.
She recently donated three of her sculptures to create a special garden in the grounds of St Bees Priory.
The tranquil garden was inspired by Josefina and will be a place for all who have suffered a loss
of a young life, before or after birth, to go for comfort.
Two of Josefina's sculptures, comprising the Vision of St Bega can be found in the Lady Chapel of St Bees Priory,
and the picture left is of Josefina with those sculptures on a visit in April 2005.
The Guardian - obituary
|
 |
| Auction of the remaining Josefina de Vasconcellos works, March 23 2006 |
Josefina is also the author of the book -
'She Was Loved: Memories of Beatrix Potter'
published 2003 by Titus Wilson, ISBN: 0900811285.
Wikipedia - Josefina de Vasconcellos
page last changed 25 Feb 2007.
