Cody

by
Philip Downs

November 2000

If you were at the Bristol International Kite Festival this year then you will know that this festival was a real treat for fans of Cody kites.
Wayne McCoy launched his 8 metre Cody for the first time, and Paul Cody, the great grandson of Samuel Cody was in attendance. If you were fortunate enough to bump into Paul then you may have had the opportunity to purchase one of Philip Downs remarkable illustrations of S.F.Cody, pictured above.
We found out what Philip's inspiration was for creating this wonderful piece of work.

"Having heard mention of Samuel Franklin many times over the last few years, it wasn't until I saw the Sothebys catalogue for the sale of Cody Memorabilia that I felt inspired to attempt a portrait of the great man. I already have a vague connection with this subject, in that my schoolfriend Paul Cody is a great grandson of S.F., and is a fellow kiting enthusiast, and budding eccentric to boot.

It was the aeronautical gadgets, the old-fashioned 'spirit of adventure', and the sheer unstoppable enthusiasm of S.F.that attracted my attention. His history as inventor and Wild West Showman is peppered with incidents such as his absentmindedly leaving his wife, Lela, floating for an hour 100 ft up on one of his experimental one-man kites, piloting a 'kite-boat' across the Channel as a publicity stunt, and racing horses against bikes.

Behaviour like this fits in perfectly with the ethos of my previous artwork - studies of noble, troubled, eccentric characters - with Samuel Franklin as a larger-than-life, though little recognised, pioneering hero of Aviation.

It quickly became apparent that the mass of information needed for the background would have to be taken from old photos, posters, and newspaper clippings, to retain its accuracy whilst still allowing the main portrait to stand out, using sepia tinting to subdue the montaged images behind. The large portrait is taken from a pleasingly romanticised image on a Wild West Show poster of the 1890s; his mind is bursting with kite wings and he wears spherical spectacles, each containing his famous Cody kite. Merged into this is a more elderly Cody - the Aviator - at the controls of his pre-World War One Flying Machine, and finally an early picture of the dashing and skillful young showman with his gun.

Hopefully this combination of painting (in acrylic) and collage gives the viewer an overall impression of a vital and unique man - a real character of his Age.

It took about a week from blank paper to completion, and I'm very pleased that what was intended simply as a gift to my friend Paul, has now sold as a print at both Bristol and Dieppe Kite Festivals, and now finds its way onto this website, thanks to the encouragement and help of aeolian.co.uk."

The print measures 42cm x 30cm approx, and if you are interested in owning a copy of this remarkable illustration you can either contact Philip Downs at phdsbl@hotmail.com or aeolian.

See also Philip's website at www.philipdowns.co.uk.