Cleolinda

Shackleton was born in Bradford where he first studying at Bradford Technical College before being awarded a Royal Exhibition to the Royal College of Art in 1893. On a British Institute Scholarship he studied at the Academie Julian in Parist and travelled in France and Italy. On his return to England he established his studio in Chelsea with Philip Connard. Works by him are in the collection of the Tate Gallery and Cartwright Hall Gallery, Bradford. Cleolinda is seen studying an illuminated manuscript of St George slaying the dragon. According to the legend a dragon had established itself by the fresh water spring near the town of Silene in Libya. In order to placate the dragon the towns people decided to sacrifice a maiden and lots where drawn resulting in the Princess Cleolinda being offered to be the dragon’s victim. At the vital moment St George, a knight from the Crusades, rode to her rescue, slaying the beast. The people of Silene abandoned their pagan beliefs and converted to Christianity.