Lot 108: William Midgley (fl. 1899-1933)

Non Angli, sed Angeli
signed and dated 'W MIDGLEY 1899' (lower left)
oil on canvas
54 x 35 in. (137 x 89 cm.)

Birmingham, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Centenary Exhibition, 1927.

Joseph Hill and William Midgley, The History of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, The Society & Cornish Brother's Ltd., Birmingham, illus. pl. 85.
King Edward's School, Camp Hill, Old Edwardian's Magazine, no. 13, May 1990, illustrated as frontispiece.

King Edward's School, Camp Hill, Birmingham; Phillips, 22 March 1988, lot 39.
with The Fine Art Society, London, Spring 1991, no. 13.
Sotheby's London, 12 November 1992, lot 176 xxx to the present vendor.

William Midgley was a former pupil of King Edward's Birmingham, and was approached by the headmaster to paint a suitable subject for the school's new buildings at Camp Hill. He chose to illustrate the legend, repeated by the Venerable Bede, of how Pope Gregory was struck by the blond hair and fair skinned appearance of some English slaves in the market place in Rome. Gregory asked the trader who brought them which country they came from. 'They are Angles' (English) came the reply. Pope Gregory responded 'Non Angli, sed Angeli' 'Not Angles, but Angels'. 'With faces so angel like they must be shown Christ's mercy and taught to sing Alleluia'.

The painting was presented to the school in 1899. Few other works by the artist are known.

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