Gallery

Artists’ works in the exhibition gallery:

Coverlet 2012   –   Carolyn Thompson

Eliza Draper’s Membership Card 2012   –   Art Metropole

Sea Change (Kent) 2012   –   Michael Marten

Without Sterne 2012   –   Nancy Fouts

Sites of Memory (Envelope) 2006   –   Paul Coldwell

Star Chart over Bombay / Coxwold 2012   –   Nigel Hutchinson

Kent Coastline 2012   –   Brian David Stevens

Astral Networks 2009   –   Alison Turnbull

Yorick’s Progress #6 2009   –   Martin Rowson

Ten Handsome Brass Screws 2012   –   Maura Dooley

Comfortable Armchair 2009   –   Julie Macbean

An absence and a presence.

The chair is empty, a reminder of a loved one lost. The sun enters the room and falls onto the empty chair, giving a presence.

Shadows are sanctuary, light is life.

soj[ourn] for Ever 2012   –   Thomas Rodgers

Set of ten gelatine silver photographs.

Walking between Shandy Hall and Byland Abbey, I have photographed the landscape and details therein. The space has undoubtedly changed since Sterne made his walks to commune with Cordelia and his preoccupation with Eliza, but in it there remains something of the solitude and harshness that Sterne must have felt within and without his heavy heart and sentimental mind.

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The Zumpé piano is on loan from Temple Newsam House. Dated 1769, it is the second earliest example of this pre-cursor to the modern pianoforte in existence in the UK.

The frame for this square piano is probably original and is made of beech wood. It is not in working condition as the soundboard is split. It is displayed with the keyboard exposed but no attempt should be made to create sound. Bach performed on such an instrument in 1768.

Sterne will have bought his Zumpé piano (in 1767) from the workshop of Johannes Zumpé, of London.

Zumpé Piano and Chair on loan from Temple Newsam.

The chair (also kindly on loan from Temple Newsam), from the same period, is made of ash and is of ‘stick construction’.

Imagining Eliza’s Bookshelf (see page) is a collection of books that Eliza and Hester might have taken on board the Earl of Chatham for their lengthy sea voyage.

The portrait of Eliza Draper is a photographic reproduction of the original painting by Richard Cosway, which is in a private collection. The chair in which Eliza is seated can be seen in the V & A in the British Collection and is identified as Cosway’s ‘studio chair’. The miniature painting of Eliza by Cosway is lost.

The engraving of Sterne is by Fisher (after Reynolds) and is the one most likely to have been given to Eliza.  Originally in the church in Coxwold, it is now part of the collection at Shandy Hall.

The artists’ works have been brought together in a variety of different ways.  Some have been commissioned; others have been kindly loaned by the artists, or are from private collections.

Eliza Draper : An Absent Presence exhibition

Thanks to:

Rebecca Lee, Michael Turnpenny, Dieter Hopkin (Renaissance Museums Development Team); Camilla Nichol, Ian Fraser (Leeds Museums & Galleries); Dr. Geoff Day; Peter de Voogd (the Shandean); Miles Collyer (Art Metropole, Canada); Tom and Elaine Wood; Helen Williams (Senior Researcher U of Northumbria); Alexander Hardie-Forsyth; Anna Walter; Richard Dunn (National Maritime Museum); Stephen Lloyd; Nigel Hutchinson; Andrea Cordani (East India Company Ships); Nigel Chapman, Chris Topp.

All images and information  ©The Laurence Sterne Trust