Harry Carleton Attwood

1907 - 1985

Attwood was born in Swindon and studied wood carving from 1924-1930 at Swindon College. Between 1933-1936 Stephen and Virginia Courtauld employed the architects Seeley & Paget to build a modernist Art Deco mansion adjoining the medieval Great Hall of Eltham Palace. Their decadent, cutting edge house was to provide a suitable backdrop to their lavish entertaining and included all the latest technology. Attwood was commissioned to produce several pieces for the palace including the relief which still remains over the front door. Unusual for Attwood the present work appears to be a mural design rather than sculpture and seems to be part of an unrealised scheme for Eltham Palace.