Sydney Curnow Vosper

After a three-year apprenticeship with an architect, he began as an illustrator in London before studying for three years at the Académie Colarossi in Paris under Raphaël Collin.¹

The setting for 'Salem' is the Salem Baptist Chapel in Pentre Gwynfryn, Wales, where Vosper faithfully captured the interior and traditional Welsh attire.¹

His most famous work, 'Salem' (1908), is a watercolor on paper measuring 71.1 x 69.8 cm, depicting an old woman in traditional Welsh costume with meticulous detail.¹

Siân Owen, the central model for 'Salem', was a favorite of Vosper's and also appeared in his later work, 'Market Day in Old Wales' (c. 1910).¹

Of the eight figures in 'Salem', seven were painted from live models while one was a dummy; notably, only one person was an actual member of the chapel depicted.¹

Industrialist William Lever bought 'Salem' for 100 guineas and used it to promote Sunlight soap; collectible tokens for prints allowed the image to enter many ordinary homes.¹

The painting 'Salem' gained notoriety due to a belief that the devil's face was hidden in the folds of the shawl, though Vosper denied intentionally painting any such detail.¹

In an industrializing Wales, 'Salem' became an icon of rural tradition and Nonconformist faith, remaining one of the most iconic images of Welsh identity today.¹