Mel Crawford (Canadian, B. 1925) "Carolling in Cathedral at Christmas" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board.
Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 20c NiccolinCowper Madonna, by Raphael stamp issued October 28, 1983.
The magical season of Christmas is a time of merriment; but it is also a time for sincere reverence. On Christmas morning, churches all over the world hold special, joyous services to celebrate, with rich ceremony, the humble birth of the Savior of the World . . . Jesus Christ. Merriment and reverence are united by a special bond during this sacred time of the year. The sincere, yet joyful worship of Jesus Christ as the Babe of Bethlehem . . . born in humility . . . was especially stressed by St. Francis of Assisi. This Holy Saint is associated with Christmas because of his great love of the simple religious songs which were the forerunners of our modern Christmas carols. He once advised a devout Brother to mix light-hearted singing with his preaching -- "for what are the servants of God if not His minstrels, who ought to stir and incite the hearts of men to spiritual joy?" When St. Francis celebrated Christmas in Greccio in 1223 it was humble indeed . . . especially when compared with the Christmases of today, which involve diverse customs developed through two thousand years. But all Christmas customs, whether rooted in pagan festivals, folklore, or church rituals, express that "spiritual joy" of which St. Francis spoke . . . a resplendent joy to the world which we glory in manifesting, both in song and praise, during the magical season of Christmas.
Image Size: 13.75 x 12 in.
Overall Size: 16.75 x 14.75 in.
Unframed.
(B08334)
Condition
- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.
- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.
- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.
- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.
- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com
- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.
- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.
- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.