Easter gift of art treasure found in a skip

An art treasure depicting the Last Supper which was found in a skip has been presented to a church in Leeds.

St Aidan’s Church in Harehills, Leeds, home of the famous Brangwyn mosaic, has been presented with a ceramic plaque of the Last Supper by the Austrian artist Josef Heu  dated to around 1941 which was found lying in a skip in York by Mike Pipes of Acomb.

St Aidan’s already holds two works by Heu – a large statue in wood of Mary presenting the Christ Child to the world, known as The Redeemer, and a set of 14 Stations of the Cross.

Mr Pipes had noticed a reference to Josef Heu on the St Aidan’s web site and got in touch with the Vicar, Revd Canon Alan Taylor. The plaque was handed over on Wednesday of this week and during the Maundy Thursday service Canon Taylor (pictured above with the artwork) blessed and rededicated the plaque. A decision will now be taken where to position it.

The plaque shows the traditional view of The Last Supper with Christ at table surrounded by his disciples. It is carved in plaster and coloured in pastel shades and is approximately 45cm by 30cm. It is signed by Josef Heu with the note: Ampleforth 1941.

Canon Taylor said: ‘We are delighted to receive this beautiful work of art into our collection, it will take its place along with Heu’s other works, the Brangwyn mosaic, the Bacon windows and church furniture by Robert (Mouseman) Thompson and our own parishioner John Drake. Our sincere thanks go out to Mr Pipes.’

Josef Heu was born in 1876 at Marburg an der Drau (Slovenia but then part of Austro- Hungarian empire) and died in 1952 at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire. A painter, sculptor and teacher he was Professor at Vienna University of Applied Arts up to 1938 when his wife who was Jewish and his children travelled to England . He followed in 1939 and they were given a home by the monks at Ampleforth and later lived at nearby Coxwold.