GENERAL JAMES WOLFE
“YET WERE HE ON THIS SCORE ANY LESS HAPPY?” IS A DIPTYCH THAT COMMEMORATES GENERAL JAMES WOLFE (2/01/1727 – 13/09/1759). A LEGEND EXISTS THAT WOLFE RECITED THOMAS GRAY’S “ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD” TO HIS TROOPS BEFORE THE BATTLE OF THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM, QUEBEC IN 1759. THE TITLE OF THE PIECE IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM WOLFE’S PERSONAL ANNOTATIONS TO THE CONCLUDING STANZAS OF HIS COPY OF GRAY’S POEM. THESE FINAL PASSAGES ARE RENDERED IN INK ON THE INTERIOR WOOD PANEL. AN ENAMEL PROFILE PAINTED ON GLASS REFERENCES ENGLISH MINIATURE PORTRAIT SILHOUETTES AND IS BASED ON A CONTEMPORARY RENDERING OF WOLFE FROM 1754. THE WORK IS FURTHER A HYBRID OF HISTORICAL TRADITIONS AS IT ALSO INCLUDES A LOCK OF HUMAN HAIR SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE GLASS THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY ALLUDES TO THE PRACTICE OF MOURNING JEWELLERY AND WOLFE’S FAMED RED HAIR. THE PIECE IS BOUND TOGETHER WITH VARIOUS METALS AND WAS ALL CREATED BY HAND.
