The Black Friar in London, built in 1875 and remodelled around 1905 by architect Herbert Fuller-Clark, is a masterpiece of the Art Nouveau milieu.
The exterior reminds me of the Flatiron Building in New York - that same bold, triangular thrust into the street, as if the pub itself were cutting through the fast stream of modernity, holding its ground while the city rushes by.
Whilst a merry monk leans from the corner of the building, around the bend the façade bursts into delight - golden mosaics gleam with the word Brandies, and brass signage, its lettering curled and lyrical, directs the passer-by toward the saloon bar.
Its exuberant copper repoussé panels were designed by sculptor Henry Poole RA and executed with metalworker Frederick T. Callcott, uniting skill and imagination in true Arts and Crafts spirit. Every surface - bronze, alabaster, mosaic, and marble - bears the mark of care and humour: cherubic friars brewing, feasting, and laughing beneath tongue-in-cheek mottos. A living pub and total artwork, the Black Friar celebrates fellowship, craftsmanship, and the handmade poetry of the Edwardian age.
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