Object of the Month - For Thoughts by Ernestine Mills
1st October 2023
This pair of exquisite enamel panels by Ernestine Mills (1871-1959) are imbued with the symbolism and style of the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century.
The limited but striking palette of purples, blues and greens is typical of Mills’ work and of the time. The first plaque, titled For Thoughts, features pansies, rosemary and forget-me-not; all rich in the symbolism of love, fidelity, remembrance and respect. The second is decorated with Speedwell for healing and joyfulness, and Honesty for sincerity.
Each is signed in gilt with the monogrammed initials of the artist, Ernestine Mills, who trained in fine art at the Slade and was taught the art of enamelling by Alexander Fisher (1864-1936). Under his tuition she learnt various techniques used in Limoges during the time of the Renaissance, including champlevé (a technique that involves channels or small areas carved into the metal surface and filled with vitreous enamel), and painted enamels on copper - the technique used here. Mills skilfully painted layers of enamel, creating a depth of colour complemented by an opalescence and glistening surface, a product of high kiln temperatures.
As well as her art, Mills were known for her political affiliations and her work with the suffragette movement. A member of both the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) and the Women’s Freedom League (WFL), she produced a number of Votes for Women brooches as well individual commissions for prominent suffragettes including Christabel Pankhurst. Unlike the Pankhursts, Mills shunned the more militant tactics of the WSPU, preferring to use her art to raise awareness of the suffrage movement and raise funds to further its cause.
Works by Mills are included in several major national collections including those at the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The plaques here have been consigned from the collection of Phillip Allen – a renowned art lover and a collector from a young age in many diverse areas. It is tempting to think that they might have come from his association with the Arts and Crafts polymath artist Charles E. Thomas (1883-1981). The plaques sold in our Design auction on 18th October for £2,800. (Lot 13).
