Prints of Stowe

Two prints are available from the Campaign Office and a number of originals, prints and cards from Deborah Last, who is married to the Walpole Housemaster, Peter Last.

From the Campaign Office

Profits from the sale of these prints are donated to the Campaign for Stowe. To order a print please contact Caroline Whitlock on +44 (0)1280 818349 or cwhitlock@stowe.co.uk

“The newly restored North Front of Stowe – Speech Day 2003”

Limited edition prints from an oil painting by Jocelyn Galsworthy

This handsome oil painting of the newly restored North Front of Stowe, by Jocelyn Galsworthy, was generously commissioned by Gordon Darling (Grafton 39). Gordon was a member of the School’s 1st XI in 1939 and, from 1982–86, Chairman of the National Gallery of Australia.

Jocelyn Galsworthy, a leading portrait and landscape artist, is renowned for her paintings of some of the best known and most beautiful cricket grounds in the world.

The painting depicts the 1st XI cricket match against the Old Stoics on Speech Day, 2003. A limited edition of 500 prints has been individually signed and numbered by the artist. 450 are being offered for sale, for the benefit of the Campaign for Stowe.

The painting, which hangs at Stowe in the visitors' reception room, off North Hall, was commissioned to mark the completion of Phase I of the restoration of Stowe House. The prints are destined to become collectors’ items for enthusiasts of both cricket and 18th century architecture, as well as for those who simply love fine art and Stowe.

Print of the Norman Wilkinson railway poster

sold in aid of the Campaign for Stowe

In the late 1930s the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company commissioned from Norman Wilkinson, PRI, a series of posters featuring famous public schools of England and Wales. The poster of Stowe is one of this series, which also portrays Bedford, Berkhamsted, Fettes, Harrow, Manchester Grammar School, Oundle, Repton, Rugby, St Paul's, Sedbergh, Shrewsbury, Stonyhurst, Uppingham and Westminster.

In addition to depicting the school itself, every poster bears the crests of the school and of the LMSR and carries below the picture a letterpress caption giving a brief history and other particulars of interest about the school. The posters were intended for display both in this country and overseas. Originally intended to be short-term advertising, very few copies of the posters still survive. The National Railway Museum at York has over 7,000 railway posters in its collection. Anyone wishing to see a specific poster should contact the Curator of the Pictorial Collections before visiting.

Stowe School is most grateful to the trustees of the Hall Bequest who purchased the poster featuring Stowe and have generously allowed any profits raised from the sale of the prints to go towards the Campaign for Stowe.

The purpose of the Campaign for Stowe is to restore Stowe House and to fund the School's most pressing requirements for educational development. The poster depicts Stoics playing rugby against the backdrop of the North Front.
Norman Wilkinson's son, Rodney, was an Old Stoic (Walpole 41) and followed in his father's footsteps as an artist.

Excellent digital reproductions of the poster (size approx 60x42cm) can be purchased from the Development Office at Stowe (+44 (0)1280 818349) at a cost of £25.00 with post and packing an extra £3.50. Credit cards accepted.
Norman Wilkinson CBE (1878-1971) was born in Cambridge, educated at Berkhamsted and St Paul's, and studied art at Portsmouth and Southsea Schools of Art. He is best remembered as a famous marine painter; he also made a major contribution to the art of camouflage. He designed posters for other railway companies including the Royal Academy series of posters for the LMS in 1924. He also worked for the Illustrated London News and Illustrated Mail.

From Deborah Last

"I live at Stowe with my husband Pete Last, Housemaster of Walpole. We started our married life in the Western Ghats of India where we lived for seven years. Having been absent from this “green and pleasant land” for so long heightened my love for it when we returned and although I do lots of other work I often return to the landscape as a subject, relishing the opportunity to delight in the wonderful light, colour and texture of the natural world.

The inspiration for my landscape work is light, texture and structure. In the winter we are surrounded by the landscape stripped down to it barest; trees stand starkly against a bright afternoon sky and hedges cut back harshly offer a tangle of bare branches. In summer the stronger light and leafy trees presents a different pattern of dappled light and dark green places.

Within the Stowe gardens another landscape emerges; one by human design. The Palladian bridge reflected in a glassy lake, swans scuff the water. The winter sun turns the stone to gold standing starkly against the deep greens of Elder and pine. It has been a wonderful opportunity to live within such a beautiful landscape and to seize as many chances as I can to get out and paint it.

The paintings that I produce are in watercolour, acrylic, oil and mixed media and I am happy to accept commissions."

Originals, prints and cards are available directly from the artist. Please contact Deborah on 01280 818 230 or email dlast@stowe.co.uk

Original paintings are £450

A4 reproduction mounted prints are £35

A6 cards are £2 (the larger North Front card is £3)