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New St Alban panel comes to life

A mosaic by artist Christopher Hobbs, depicting St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr, was unveiled in Westminster Cathedral in 2001.

The saint is shown as a young Romano-British soldier turned Christian priest and martyr. His under-garment is a rich and worldly Romanesque costume, influenced by early Byzantine iconography. His outer garb is the priestly robe which symbolizes the faith for which he was martyred.


Walter Bernadin and Tessa Hunkin of the Mosaic Workshop. Tessa produced the mosaic based on designs by the artist Christopher Hobbs
St Alban holds the Cross in one hand; the other is held in traditional priestly blessing – showing palm of martyrdom. Round his neck is a red line which prefigures his death by beheading – an image borrowed from the victims of the French revolution, who sometimes wore a scarlet thread around their necks before they were sent to the guillotine. The background of the panel serves to draw out the image.

Commissioned by Judge Coombe in memory of his wife Anne, this mosaic is the fifteenth piece of marble or mosaic to have been erected in the Cathedral over the past eight years. There are plans for future mosaics in other Cathedral Chapels.


The mosaic panel in situ after the team from Mosaic Workshop carefully completes the last part of the installation work.
The panel was produced by the Mosaic Workshop – probably Britain’s most thriving mosaic studio. Its members have carried out commissions for customers worldwide. Though this is the Workshop’s first piece for Westminster Cathedral, it has made intricate work for other Christian and non-Christian places of worship.


The mosaic of St Alban by Christopher Hobbs.






 

 

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