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Take a tour with the Archibald Knox Society
MEMBERS of the Archibald Knox Society will be celebrating the life of one of the Island's most famous artists on the 75th anniversary of his death this weekend.
A lecture by Peter Kelly and reception at St Matthew's Church this evening (Friday, February 22) precedes the tour starting tomorrow at the Manx Museum.
Curator Yvonne Cresswell will guide visitors round the Knox exhibits in the museum and gave them a presentation of the Deer's Cry, an illustrated manuscript.
Society president Liam O'Neill said Knox had been particularly influenced by the natural beauty of the Isle of Man.
'Not only was he a great watercolourist, he was known internationally for his design work for the London shop Liberty's and Co,' he said.
'He was their most prolific designer, especially in their Celtic range of silver and pewter jewellery.'
The tour takes in Cronkbourne village and the house which Knox's parents moved to from Scotland in the 1850s.
A nearby memorial celebrates his birth in 1864 and half a mile up the road in Braddan cemetery is his grave, marked by a cross of his own design.
At the time of his death in 1933, Knox had exhibited his paintings in London and Canada and produced 400 designs for Liberty's, earning him a worldwide reputation.
The trail moves next to Douglas Quay where the Knox family operated steam ferries at Douglas Head and were the first to run a car.
At 16, Knox studied at the then newly-opened Douglas School of Art, before moving to London to make his fortune in 1897.
Like his contemporary Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Knox was a leading designer of the Art Nouveau period.
His work was influenced by the style of ancient Manx crosses, examples of which were visited in the ancient churchyard at Lonan and also at Maughold.
>> You can enjoy the virtual tour with commentary from Liam O'Neill and Yvonne Cresswell by clicking on the play icon at the top of this story.
The video attached to this story is the first of two parts - the second will be available to view at www.iomtoday.co.im/video from Tuesday, February 26.
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PART TWO:
>> Complete the Archibald Knox Society tour
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Weather for Isle of Man
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
