Follow The Luck of Eden Hall

These artworks from the Government Art Collection have been selected to showcase exciting new and established artists from across Great Britain and to reflect on the splendour and stories of Eden Hall. Built in 1904, the building shares its name with an exquisite 14th century glass beaker from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London – The Luck of Edenhall. Inspired by the worldwide travels of this vessel that echo the activities of the Collection, the display highlights themes tied to transparency, reflections, cultural exchanges and transformation in a range of artistic media dating from the 19th century to today.

Exterior of Eden Hall, Singapore. © Crown Copyright

Eden Hall was built in 1904 for merchant Ezekiel Saleh Manasseh from a design by R. A. J. Bidwell, who also designed the Raffles Hotel (1887) and the Goodwood Park Hotel (1900). Its name – Eden Hall – tells a story that takes us around the world, and ends in the V&A in London. There, a small glass beaker is on display, decorated with a scrolling motif outlined in gold and filled with red, blue, green and white enamel. Known as The Luck of Edenhall, it dates from the 14th century, from Syria or Egypt. It ended up in the North of England and was believed that fairies had dropped it, calling out ‘If this cup should break or fall, Farewell the luck of Edenhall‘.

The Luck of Edenhall, 14th century, glass beaker © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The building of Eden Hall itself references the influence of decorative ceramics and glass celebrated at the V&A. The outside of this early 20th century villa is embellished with motifs, picked out in white, that evoke the famous matte Jasperware of British pottery, Wedgewood.

The new display includes two sculptures in the Entrance Hall made by artists in the Government Art Collection, both born in other countries before making the UK their home. One is a sculpture by French artist Henri Gaudier-Brezska, who established himself in London in 1910. His carved vessel was commissioned through the groundbreaking Omega Workshop started by Roger Fry in collaboration with Bloomsbury artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. The second sculpture is a waterpiece by the acclaimed Singaporean-British artist Kim Lim, made of five basins stacked one atop another.

Throughout the house you will find works that reference vessels and glass, from the rubbings of windows in Victorian homes by Anna Barriball, to the Hurvin Anderson print Still Life with Artificial Flowers. Look out for Robin Megannity’s strange composite vessel, created from digitally manipulating internet images and then meticulously painted. Howard Hodgkin’s Venice Evening brings us back to the journey of the original Luck of Edenhall, which surely passed through Venice. The art work links back to both The Luck of Eden Hall and the house, Eden Hall, the vessel of this display, and itself an ornament and testament to British cultural connections across the world.