St Mary and St Gabriel, South Harting, Sussex : attrib. to Paul Maze
We found this wonderful little oil painting not signed, dated or titled. There is the note verso, suggesting that this was given to the (anonymous) owner, by Paul Maze, in 1966. It is perfectly possible: the style is suggestive of Maze's hand and we know that, from 1950, he was constantly painting and sketching the Downs and villages of West Sussex, around the hamlet of Treyford, where he and his wife, Jessie, lived.
Looking at the many churches in this area, we came across St. Mary and St. Gabriel, in South Harting, very near Treyford. This medieval church has seen many alterations and renewals. It stands at the foot of Harting Down, from where there is an excellent view of the church, its red tile roof and tall, broach spire - clad in copper in 1825 - being particularly distinctive. We believe this to be a painting of South Harting's church.
The church has some remarkable tombs, including an Elizabethan monument to the Cowper family. In the churchyard, there is a tall, slender memorial to the dead of the Great War, by Eric Gill. At the very least, all this must have ensured that Maze was familiar with this church!
14.5cms x 20.5cms
27.5cms x 33.5cms