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The Healing of the Sick of the Palsy (1951–53)Oil on canvas, 7 x 9¼ ftIn 1951 Ivor Williams travelled to Italy to study the work of the Italian painters in the churches of Florence and Rome and he returned via Holland where he sought out the work of Rembrandt. It was here that The Healing of the Sick of the Palsy, the first of Williams' large biblical compositions, was conceived. It illustrates an incident described in Luke V, verses 17-26. ''And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by . . . And, behold, men brought in a bed of a man which was taken with a palsy . . . And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the house-top, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, said unto him, thy sins are forgiven thee . . . I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house." The theme is that of the universal teachings of Christ, of sickness and healing and faith triumphant. The artist attempted to create a painting that was timeless; costumes are ancient and modern, and people of different races and ages are juxtaposed deliberately to emphasise Williams' belief that Christ speaks to all ages and regardless of the colour of their skin. The painting is composed of thirty individual portraits of family, neighbours and friends from infancy to old age. The sick and ageing were painted from life from models who came to the studio from the Home for Old Men, Hendre, Llandaff and similar old people's homes and hospitals at Llandaff, Ely and Whitchurch. Colonel Otto Jones for example, seated in a wheelchair on the extreme left, was painted during his last months at Rookwood Military Hospital. (Williams had first painted a full length portrait of Jones in 1944 representing the Home Guard, part of a series of portraits depicting Wales at war. The portrait was later destroyed in a fire. When Jones learned of the painting of The Healing of the Sick of the Palsy he asked to be included.) The figure of the sick man is a model called Coslett who Williams used frequently in his work. He was a young epileptic who had been institutionalised as a result of his illness. Another favourite model was Mr. Kitchener from the Salvation Army Hostel, the man with grey hair immediately above the head of the sick man, he later modelled for The Leaping Beggar (1962). The 'sufferer' in blue being carried in was in resident in a mental hospital. There are two black models: one from the Gold Coast and one from Liberia who were recruited from the Loudoun Square Methodist Mission in Cardiff's dockland. Williams accompanied the mission on an outing to Hereford to gain their confidence. The Liberian had been disabled in the Merchant Service and Williams fought on his behalf to enable him to return to his home country.  Detail of a woman in the painting  Detail of Christ from the painting The tender study of the old woman with hands clasped looking over the sick man is a portrait of the artist's mother, Emily Williams. Age and sickness are contrasted by youth and vitality. His wife Elizabeth and daughters Mair and Annie are to the left of her. The figure of Christ was modelled by Norman Roderick, son of a Cardiff solicitor, who was working for his law finals at the time.  Photograph of a study for the painting The painting of The Healing of the Sick of the Palsy took three years to complete and cost the artist over £900 in materials and model's fees. It was painted in the studio at Williams' home, Llandaff House, the oldest house in Llandaff and former Bishop's Palace close to the Cathedral. It was hoped that on completion the large canvas by a Welsh artist could have been purchased by the Church in Wales which at the time was commissioning English artists and the sculptor Jacob Epstein as part of a major programme of interior restoration. The cost of 3,500 guineas was prohibitive. Dr Gerald F. Petty in the Western Mail (28.08.1954) suggested that readers might subscribe to purchase The Healing of the Sick Man of the Palsy for the church. 'The depth of colour, sincerity and magnificence matches and surpasses some of the great masterpieces of the world. I cannot imagine', he wrote, 'this canvas remaining this long in this country once the world has the opportunity of seeing its value'.  Photograph of the painting prior to completion However Ivor Williams failed to secure a buyer for the painting though it proved to be an immensely popular work. It was first exhibited at David Morgan Ltd, Cardiff (in February 1955) and later at St. John's Church, Ebbw Vale (August 1958), the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales, Ebbw Vale (August 1958), St. Michael's and All Angels' Church, Colvinstone (June 1959), Llandaff Cathedral (July 1960) and the Church of St Martin-in-the-fields, London (1962). It remained at St Martin's Lane for over twenty years where thousands of postcard reproductions were sold to raise funds. In 1981, a year before the artist died, the painting was lent to an exhibition at Maesteg Town Hall dedicated to the work of father and son, Christopher and Ivor Williams. Sometime after its return to London it was badly vandalised in the church. The painting was returned to the family and the artist's family, not wishing to see her father's most important work disintegrate further, arranged its restoration by Nigel Harper L. Bipp, Buckinghamshire. Returned to its original splendour the painting now hangs in the School of Art at Aberystwyth University. The University has also acquired fifty-five life-drawings Williams made whilst a student at the Slade School of Art in the 1920s to which the family has donated fourteen oil paintings spanning the artist's career. In addition, copies of documentation: press reviews, a photographic record of works and diaries have also been made available. Robert Meyrick |
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