Here is my introduction on yester-day morning's Spitalfields Life for the Artists of Spitalfields Life selling exhibition that starts next week:
Come and see Paul Bommer’s series of forty-eight delft tiles inspired The Great Fire of London 1666 at The Artists of Spitalfields Life opening at Ben Pentreath Ltd on Wednesday 7th November
Like Pieter Breughel, George Cruickshank and Ronald Searle, Paul Bommer’s work is firmly rooted in the European grotesque and populated with distinctive specimens of humanity – conjured into being through his unique quality of line, waggish, calligraphic and lyrical by turns. Fascinated by culture and lore, Paul celebrates the strange stories that interweave to create social identity and the fabric of history, turning his attention to The Great Fire Of London in this latest series of limited edition Delft tiles.
A Plague Doctor of 1665, with the beak of his mask filled with herbs to protect against evil vapours.
Annus Mirabilis. 1666, the year of the Great Fire was dubbed the 'Year of Wonders' because in Roman Numerals it was the only date that contains all Roman numerals, once only and in the correct, descending, order.
King Charles II, who famously hid from Cromwell's men in the Boscobel Oak.
Pudding Lane. Although this actually refers to offals, tripes and innards, rather than sweetmeats and desserts!
Poultry. A road in the City connecting the Royal Exchange with St Paul's.
Fish Street Hill, just up from Billingsgate Market, where to-day now stands Sir Kit Wren's Monument.
Eurus, the East Wind, that blew the fire westerly towards Old St. Paul's.
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