Crossroads of Curiosity

"Joseph Chamberlain"

 

David Normal:

 

Winston Churchill called Joseph Chamberlain "a splendid piebald: first black, then white, or, in political terms, first fiery red, then true blue." . . . or going even further first a man, and now an ostrich (possibly the better to run from one side to the other).

During the process of making these paintings I often spent as much as 10 hours per day working. However, on the day that I made this rendering of Chamberlain I was completely exhausted after a mere two hours. It was strangely hard work as though the spirit of this man desperately did not want to be placed on the head of an ostrich or have anything to do with "government by schizophrenic ostriches" (i.e.; "Ostrischizocracy"). I felt like Chamberlain was fighting me, and clearly, even from beyond the grave, here was a man who could put up a good fight. I did prevail in the end, and now he has had a new and strange honor bestowed upon him.

 

Image taken from page 357 of 'Fra det moderne England. I Dansk bearbejdelse ved A. Ipsen. Med talrige illustrationer, etc' Collection of the British Library.

View illustration on British Library's Flickr Photostream

 

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