“The Last Dream," A Memorial for Miss Margaret Hutton by Joseph Edwards (1814

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"The Last Dream," A Memorial for Miss Margaret Hutton

Sculptor: Joseph Edwards (1814–1882)

Engraver: R. A. Artlett

1844

Marble

St Michael, Otterington, N. Yorks.

Source: "The Last Dream," facing p. 24

Unusually this memorial is a tribute from a brother to his older sister. It was erected by John Hutton of Solberge Hall in 1844 to the memory of his sister Margaret who had died at the age of 36. [Commentary continues below.]

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Commentary by William Gibbs, additional text, image download and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee.

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Present day records describe the memorial in detached Pevsnerian detail but for contemporaries it had a far more emotional content. The Art Journal of the time described it as a "very beautiful monumental group.... carved, indeed, out of the coldest and hardest material, but glowing with the warmth of devotional feeling, and speaking with an irresistible eloquence of the victory over death." The idea, admittedly, was not original, but, the article continues, Edwards had carried out his purpose of giving "a high and fine tone to the subject" with great success:

he has supposed the lady to have fallen asleep, dining her last illness, with the sacred volume she has just perused resting on her bosom : while sleeping she dreams that clouds “dark as death” are approaching her. These quickly disperse, and light streams dowm from above, in the midst of which two angelic forms appear, and, with words of hope and comfort, invite her heavenwards.... It must be evident to any who examine this composition, that the religious feeling it is intended to convey is well maintained throughout; and those who look at it only as a work of Art, without refer ence to its especial purpose, — though neither painting, sculpture, nor any other Art-design should ever be considered distinct from its object, — must acknowledge its claims to approbation. The repose of the recumbent figure is perfect; it is sleep, but not death, for as yet not a muscle has relaxed, nor a limb assumed rigidity; the entire arrangement of the figure, with its costume and the accessories, is elegant; the drapery is especially worthy of notice from the delicacy of the lines, and the natural, easy sweep of the folds; the only disturbing point is at the knee, where the lines require more softening down. The two celestial messengers, or visitants — a part of the composition most difficult to represent — are gracefully designed, and their mission is well shown by their action.

William Davies, an avowed admirer of Edwards's work, is also full of praise for the work, and gives us a more personal insight into it:

This was the work on which he was engaged when I came to London, and when I first visited him. It was a revelation to me at the time, — the deep impression it made then has never been obliterated. To my mind Mr. Edwards has never surpassed the beauty and grace of this work. A young lady lies asleep with one hand folded over her favourite book, — the Bible. An exquisite smile is on her lips, for she is dreaming, and her dream is of angels. Two appear, floating upwards, and one points still higher, the other holds her hand downwards as though inviting the dreamer. They have no wings, and here I consider Edwards has achieved a triumph, for one does not feel that they require any. The monument was in memory of one who had died young, and whose last dream was of angels. Underneath, the very appropriate texts are, — "Her sun went down while it was yet day; but unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness” …. Associated with this work Edwards was fond of quoting the following lines from Pope, — "Hark! they whisper, Angels say, Sister spirit come away."

Bibliography

Davies, William. "Joseph Edwards, Sculptor, Part V." Wales. A National Magazine for the English Speaking Parts of Wales. Vol. II. Ed. Owen M. Edwards. Wrexham: Hughes & Son, 1895. 355-60. Hathi Trust. From the library of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Web. 2 February 2021.

"The Last Dream: From the Monument by J. Edwards." The Art Journal. Vol. 20, 1858: 24. Internet Archive. From the library of the Getty Research Institute. Web. 2 February 2021.

Created 2 February 2021