In researching Leighton for my PhD I was eager to identify innovatory classicism of the period 1855 to 1865. I was interested in Edward Armitage just starting to develop a reputation as a muralist and who had studied with Delaroche.

to Edward Armitage and St John's Islington. Sea Urchins is a rare treat.

It is obviously from contemporary criticism that Flandrin's mural scheme for the choir and sanctuary of the Chuch of Saint-Germain-des-Pres (1842-1848) attracted much attention for its abstracted forms, and flattened freize like compositions running the length of the choir. I loved the mural work at the Church of S.Vincent de Paul which was surrounded at the time of our visit by the Riot Squad.