LOOKUP Portsmouth is a cool street art festival that happens each year in Portsmouth and we were delighted to learn the Queens has inspired American artist Beau Stanton.
He has painted a large mural in Wimbledon Park for LOOKUP (see below). The whole piece is inspired by things Beau saw in Portsmouth. The main character of the artwork is based on the sculptures on the outside of the Queens Hotel.
Next time you are in Osborne Road, walking past the Queens Hotel, be sure to look up. The delightful figures you will see by the word Queens are the work of noted architectural sculptor, Frederick E E Schenck.
A biography written by David Schenck highlights how his grandfather’s career saw him train at the Edinburgh School of Art before spending two years at the National Art Training School in South Kensington. Freelance designing and modelling for the world-renowned George Jones Pottery followed and he also worked with Wedgewood.
By 1888, his career direction changed as he moved into architectural sculpture,. He worked in stone, plaster and terracotta. Increasingly Schenck became known as a champion for encouraging closer working between architects and sculptors – and the evidence of this pairing can be seen to this day.
His sculptures adorn the central libraries at Hammersmith and Islington. Another great example of his work can be found at 37 Harley Street
20th September 2024
