Chapel Lunette Panel

Lunette Panel by Richard Oliver Gross
Photo Credit Cathy Currie

The lunette panel above the door of Waikumete Crematoriums chapel 1, is one of three sculptures that £650.00 was set aside to pay for in the 1949 work specifications during the planning process of the building of the new crematorium for the city of Auckland. [1] It was sculpted by renowned local artist Richard Oliver Gross [2] and appears to depict the Greek goddess Ananke or Necessity spinning the universe. She draws threads from the heavens on to the spindle at her knee. In the myth of Er she spins with sirens singing in harmony through the strands of time and fate as souls journey though them from death, and with their destinies spun, to be reborn. [3]

Lillies carved on the panel growing at Ananke’s feet are inspired by Job 14:2 “ He cometh forth like a flower: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” [2] [4] And trumpeting angels seem to herald the cycle of life.

The sculpture is the artists interpretation of creation and the cycle of the spirit returning to life. He used the bible for inspiration, along with Job 14:2, his ideas came from Genesis 3:19. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”. [2] [5]

Beneath the panel, the Greek words Τέφρα ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ ΑΝΘΟΣ KAI MEMφIE were inscribed in bronze letters -Tephra meaning Ash or Dust, Anthropos meaning man, Anthos meaning Flower and Kai Pemphix meaning And Cloud or Essence. Mr Gross used Greek as he saw beauty in the letters, and consulted “SCHREVELII” whose lexicon was published in London 1817 as the source for the Greek inscription. He felt both the sculpture and inscription were in keeping with identifying the chapel as being devoted to the service of bereaved from all denominations as well as those who may not be of Christian faith. [2]

However, there was a complaint about the sculpture’s inscription From Dr. H. R. Ranston who seemed to have a differing opinion about its meaning. And after a brief inquiry it was concluded that the inscription was offensive to Greek scholars and it was removed on the 24th of November 1952. Fortunately the sculpture remains. [2]

Criticism was no stranger to Mr Gross, as his fascination with the naked form and his accurate detail in the portrayal of it had attracted some controversy.

He began designing and sculpting war memorials in 1921 [8] after relocating from South Africa to farm in New Zealand in 1914. [7] His war memorial works include the National War Memorial, the Auckland War Memorial frieze, as well as the cenotaphs in Wellington and Dunedin. [6]

Richard Oliver Gross,

[ca November 1930]

Reference Number: PAColl-6303-33

Photographer unidentified.

http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=23311

Mr Gross was made a fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors while overseeing the casting of his sculpture “Will and Peace” in England in 1929, and in 1938 he was made a CMG. From 1936 to 1945 he was the president of the Auckland Society of Arts. [6] and from 1944 – 1957 he was a member of the Mackelvie Trust which took care of James Mackelvie’s art collection. [8] [9]

Born in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England, on the 10th of January 1882 Mr Gross trained in classical sculpture at the Camber-well School of Art under Albert Toft, F.R.B.S. He is renowned for his detailed precision of the human form. [8]

Some examples of his work are the Harry Holland Memorial, Wellington, Wellington Citizens' War Memorial, and the Carved Lion Head Fountain on the Carillon Tower, Wellington. And also in Auckland the athlete at the Domain gates, Michael Joseph Savage Memorial at Bastion Point, the Memorial Panel at the Teacher's Training College, the Grammar School War Memorial, the Davis memorial fountain at Mission Bay, and the bronze Maori chief at the base of the One Tree Hill memorial. [8] [10]

He continued to strive to perfectly emphasise form and beauty in his art, and painted in water colours, and composed poetry, of which he published 5 small volumes in the 1950s. [8]

Richard Oliver Gross passed away in Auckland on the 27th of December 1964 at the age of 84 years. He was survived by his wife Ethel and one of his 3 sons. [8] And was cremated at Auckland’s Purewa Cemetery. [11]

Compiled by Cathy Currie using the following Sources:

[1] Construction of new Crematorium Auckland Council Archives ref ACC T05 Treasury Purchasing Department Contract Documents series ACC 221 Record 1949-50-11 Box 1 Record 83515
[2] Waikumete Cemetery Crematorium Auckland Council Archives ref ACC C23 City Engineers Dept, Works Dept subject files ACC 219, record 37-274 part 1 item 1090a box 1090 Record 415909
[3] The Myth of Er From the Republic of Plato https://www.thoughtco.com/the-myth-of-er-120332
[4] http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/kjv/job014.htm
[5] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A19&version=KJV
[6] 'Richard Gross', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/richard-gross, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 19-Aug-2014
[7] http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1222754560
[8] Jock Phillips. 'Gross, Richard Oliver', first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, vol. 4, 1998, and updated online in January, 2012. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4g23/gross-richard-oliver (accessed 24 July 2017)
[9] http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/msonline/%5Cimages%5Cmanuscripts%5Cinventories%5Cnzms895inventory.pdf
[10] http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-GovArt-t1-body-d2-d79.html
[11] http://www.purewa.co.nz/search/

Image: Lunette Panel Cathy Currie
Image: Richard Oliver Gross National Library Reference Number: PAColl-6303-33