reorganisation and destruction of irish catholic churches
- This topic has 7,926 replies, 103 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 5 months ago by
.
- Posts
I can’t belive I never happened on this site before now,it archives an ecclesiastical decorating company from Dublin & Catalogues many of their design ideas & features many of church’s talked about on this thread, some of the designs are as yet unidentified or may never have been completed.
this is described as [Design for decorative scrolling ornament, including roundels containing images of St Patrick, Christ, the Lion of St Mark, and the angel of St Matthew/I]in St Patrick’s Church,corkAnd here we have a Coloured design for decoration of side walls of chancel of Ballaghdereen Cathedral, including diaper-work, designs for window surrounds, roundels containing Angels and Saints, and designs featuring angels with scrolls for the ceiling panels.These ceiling panels were still there this time last year.
here we have an unidentified Coloured design for decorative paint effects for part of chancel and apse.
http://nival.ncad.ie/earley/EC%20155.jpg
This is the archive of one of the largest and most prestigious ecclesiastical decorators in Ireland and the UK which operated out of their office and workshops in Dublin’s Camden Street from 1852-1974. The archive, consisting of 337 design drawings and 30 bound volumes of supporting documentation, was donated by the Earley family to the National Irish Visual Arts Library at the National College of Art and Design between 2002 and 2005. A project to index and digitise the drawings was completed in 2004 and this material made available to the public on the NIVAL website.
http://nival.ncad.ie/about_earley.htm
http://nival.ncad.ie/earley_search.htm click Record Details in orange to bring up a small thumbnail at the bottom of the page then click that to enlarge
About the Earley & Company Archives
There are 337 drawings in the collection, executed in pen and ink or pencil with watercolour on paper. The designs are for stained glass, altarpieces, baptisteries and pulpits, as well as decorative and figurative designs for walls and ceilings. The collection also contains some documentary photographs.Earley & Company originated as Earley and Powells in Dublin in 1864. The firm was one of the largest and most prestigious ecclesiastical decorators both in Ireland and the U.K. The company secured its prominence through its versatility in being able to produce sculpture, painted decoration, glass and metal work, and through its well-established links with the Catholic hierarchy. All the designs in this collection have come from the company’s premises at 1, Upper Camden Street where they were based until 1975. During the period of their operation, the firm designed and executed a very large number of projects for churches in Ireland and England , with a few commissions from Australia and the United States .
The majority of the designs are for stained glass windows and altars, and this reflects the emphasis of the company’s activities and the most popular commissions. Most of the drawings date from the earliest periods when the company was run by Thomas Earley (1819-1893) and his nephews John Bishop Earley (1856 -1935) and William Earley (1872-1956). There are very few drawings from the firm’s activities of the later period.
The designs are highly finished and appear to have been used for display to prospective clients. There are few actual working drawings or cartoons.
The designs are rarely personally credited. Some may contain initials or a signature, but the majority are signed ‘Earley & Powells’ or ‘Earley & Co.’ This indicates a strong workshop ethos and corporate identity.
About the Earley Database
In 2004, the Library completed a project of digitising the Earley designs and establishing a searchable database of the collection. This project was carried out by Eneclann, Ltd., an archives and records management company, and was funded by the National College of Art & Design and the Heritage Council.
The database records contain summary information extracted from the designs, as well as an image index number. The majority of records also display a large thumbnail image for quick reference. To view a full-screen image, click on the thumbnail or the image index number where appropriate.
The original drawings and large scale, preservation quality images of the complete collection are available to view on disc in the Library. Additional background information on the Earley’s can also be found in the Library.
Design for marble and mosaic decoration for Mullingar Cathedral apse. Featuring mosaic of Christ’s ascension into heaven surrounded by the disciples and angels, with coloured marble panels below. Includes inscription, ‘Respondit Jesu Regnum Meum Non Est De Hoc Mundo’.
Annotated in pencil, ‘Design for Decoration of Apse in Marble & Mosaic. , ‘Scale 1/2″ = 1.ft.Design for lunette for apse, featuring Christ enthroned against a cross and mandorla, holding the eucharest, surrounded by angels and a procession of saints at his feet. Inscription at foot of lunette reads, ‘omas Aq. S.Agustinius. S. Gregorius. B.Clementius. S.Alphonsus’, and ‘B.Ceradus. S.Franciscus. St Benedictus. S.Ignatius’ Partner to EC/193.
Coloured elevation, side elevation, vertical section and half plan for altarpiece, featuring carved statues of St Patrick and St Bridget in niches at either side. Also includes carved relief scenes of the last supper (on the base), and the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Crucifixion (centre), the Presentation in the Temple, and the Coronation of the Virgin.
Annotated in pen, ‘High Altar Convent of Mercy Loughrea. Material Caen stone. Shafts Irish marble. Altar table Sicilian marble Group subjects, last supper, annunciation, visitation, presentation in the temple, coronation and the Crucifixion. St Patrick and St Bridget’, ‘Side elevation’, ‘Elevation’, ‘inches, feet’, ‘No 1’, ‘Vertical section line YY’, ‘Half plan line AA’, ‘Half plan line’, and ‘Earley and Powells Dublin March 14th 1881’.I have only found 1 actual photograph of their work on the site ..anyone recognise the architecture or care to have a guess as to where it was taken?
Black and white photograph of painted lunette section of apse. Depicts the Assumption of the Virgin on clouds, surrounded by 5 angels.@apelles wrote:
I can’t belive I never happened on this site before now,it archives an ecclesiastical decorating company from Dublin & Catalogues many of their design ideas & features many of church’s talked about on this thread, some of the designs are as yet unidentified or may never have been completed.
this is described as [Design for decorative scrolling ornament, including roundels containing images of St Patrick, Christ, the Lion of St Mark, and the angel of St Matthew/I]in St Patrick’s Church,corkAnd here we have a Coloured design for decoration of side walls of chancel of Ballaghdereen Cathedral, including diaper-work, designs for window surrounds, roundels containing Angels and Saints, and designs featuring angels with scrolls for the ceiling panels.These ceiling panels were still there this time last year.
here we have an unidentified Coloured design for decorative paint effects for part of chancel and apse.
http://nival.ncad.ie/earley/EC%20155.jpg
This is the archive of one of the largest and most prestigious ecclesiastical decorators in Ireland and the UK which operated out of their office and workshops in Dublin’s Camden Street from 1852-1974. The archive, consisting of 337 design drawings and 30 bound volumes of supporting documentation, was donated by the Earley family to the National Irish Visual Arts Library at the National College of Art and Design between 2002 and 2005. A project to index and digitise the drawings was completed in 2004 and this material made available to the public on the NIVAL website.
http://nival.ncad.ie/about_earley.htm
http://nival.ncad.ie/earley_search.htm click Record Details in orange to bring up a small thumbnail at the bottom of the page then click that to enlarge
About the Earley & Company Archives
There are 337 drawings in the collection, executed in pen and ink or pencil with watercolour on paper. The designs are for stained glass, altarpieces, baptisteries and pulpits, as well as decorative and figurative designs for walls and ceilings. The collection also contains some documentary photographs.Earley & Company originated as Earley and Powells in Dublin in 1864. The firm was one of the largest and most prestigious ecclesiastical decorators both in Ireland and the U.K. The company secured its prominence through its versatility in being able to produce sculpture, painted decoration, glass and metal work, and through its well-established links with the Catholic hierarchy. All the designs in this collection have come from the company’s premises at 1, Upper Camden Street where they were based until 1975. During the period of their operation, the firm designed and executed a very large number of projects for churches in Ireland and England , with a few commissions from Australia and the United States .
The majority of the designs are for stained glass windows and altars, and this reflects the emphasis of the company’s activities and the most popular commissions. Most of the drawings date from the earliest periods when the company was run by Thomas Earley (1819-1893) and his nephews John Bishop Earley (1856 -1935) and William Earley (1872-1956). There are very few drawings from the firm’s activities of the later period.
The designs are highly finished and appear to have been used for display to prospective clients. There are few actual working drawings or cartoons.
The designs are rarely personally credited. Some may contain initials or a signature, but the majority are signed ‘Earley & Powells’ or ‘Earley & Co.’ This indicates a strong workshop ethos and corporate identity.
About the Earley Database
In 2004, the Library completed a project of digitising the Earley designs and establishing a searchable database of the collection. This project was carried out by Eneclann, Ltd., an archives and records management company, and was funded by the National College of Art & Design and the Heritage Council.
The database records contain summary information extracted from the designs, as well as an image index number. The majority of records also display a large thumbnail image for quick reference. To view a full-screen image, click on the thumbnail or the image index number where appropriate.
The original drawings and large scale, preservation quality images of the complete collection are available to view on disc in the Library. Additional background information on the Earley’s can also be found in the Library.
Indeed Apelles this is a very valuable find and of enormous importance. It joins the growing number of firms whose archives are becoming available. This archive will require close exqmination and from a cursory glance it is clear that it is far from complete. For example, this company did the High Altar for Cobh Cathedral but no trace of it is to be found on the data base.
Also, Praxiteles understands that Early and Powell was founded in Dublin as an Irish “subsidiary” of Pugin, Powell and Hardmann in Birmingham to avoid criticism that that company’s work was completely imported. It subsequently went independent but maintained close contacts with Hardmann’s – for example, the candlesticks made for the High Altqr in Cobh Cathedral had their drip pans and finials made in Dublin but thier shafts and bases made in Birmingham. They were assembled in Dublin.
@apelles wrote:
I have only found 1 actual photograph of their work on the site ..anyone recognise the architecture or care to have a guess as to where it was taken?
Black and white photograph of painted lunette section of apse. Depicts the Assumption of the Virgin on clouds, surrounded by 5 angels.On an off chance, could it be the chapel decorqted for the Sisters of the Assumption in Cork a drawing for which is contained in the datqbank?
@apelles wrote:
Design for marble and mosaic decoration for Mullingar Cathedral apse. Featuring mosaic of Christ’s ascension into heaven surrounded by the disciples and angels, with coloured marble panels below. Includes inscription, ‘Respondit Jesu Regnum Meum Non Est De Hoc Mundo’.
Annotated in pencil, ‘Design for Decoration of Apse in Marble & Mosaic. , ‘Scale 1/2″ = 1.ft.Design for lunette for apse, featuring Christ enthroned against a cross and mandorla, holding the eucharest, surrounded by angels and a procession of saints at his feet. Inscription at foot of lunette reads, ‘omas Aq. S.Agustinius. S. Gregorius. B.Clementius. S.Alphonsus’, and ‘B.Ceradus. S.Franciscus. St Benedictus. S.Ignatius’ Partner to EC/193.
Coloured elevation, side elevation, vertical section and half plan for altarpiece, featuring carved statues of St Patrick and St Bridget in niches at either side. Also includes carved relief scenes of the last supper (on the base), and the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Crucifixion (centre), the Presentation in the Temple, and the Coronation of the Virgin.
Annotated in pen, ‘High Altar Convent of Mercy Loughrea. Material Caen stone. Shafts Irish marble. Altar table Sicilian marble Group subjects, last supper, annunciation, visitation, presentation in the temple, coronation and the Crucifixion. St Patrick and St Bridget’, ‘Side elevation’, ‘Elevation’, ‘inches, feet’, ‘No 1’, ‘Vertical section line YY’, ‘Half plan line AA’, ‘Half plan line’, and ‘Earley and Powells Dublin March 14th 1881’.The inclusion of Sts Clement and St Alphonsus in the apse design above would suggest a connection with the Redemptorists. Praxiteles is not inclined to think that it ios Limerick – though the inclusion of St Clement here would at fiorst sight suggest that (but we already know that Hodkingsons of Limmerick did that interior). Perhaps someone ,ight look at teh Redemptorist monastery in Belfast or perhaps in Dublin as alternative candidates.
The inclusion of Sts Clement and St Alphonsus in the apse design above would suggest a connection with the Redemptorists. Praxiteles is not inclined to think that it ios Limerick – though the inclusion of St Clement here would at fiorst sight suggest that (but we already know that Hodkingsons of Limmerick did that interior). Perhaps someone ,ight look at teh Redemptorist monastery in Belfast or perhaps in Dublin as alternative candidates.
Quite possibly Prax but as we have seen before these interiors would have been remodelled & redecorated a number of times..correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Fermoy firstly painted by Hodkingsons of Limerick & later reworked by Craftworkers of Dublin? I’m sure that many beautiful interiors were wiped out only to be replaced with different beautiful interiors by other contractors…until more recently of coarse when they were wiped out to be replaced with white gloss & magnolia emulsion..or if you were lucky a flourescent pink!
Appeles, what you say is generally ture but in the cqse of Fermoy it is a bit more complicated: Hodiknsons did the original scheme for the whole church ( and the plan survives in Hodkinsons archive) the Dublin Craftworkers only repainted the sanctuary. In circa 1952 everything was painted out with cheap war time suprlus paint except the angels painrted by the Craftwoerkers -which are painted on caqnvas applied to teh wall.
Appeles, what you say is generally ture but in the cqse of Fermoy it is a bit more complicated: Hodiknsons did the original scheme for the whole church ( and the plan survives in Hodkinsons archive) the Dublin Craftworkers only repainted the sanctuary. In circa 1952 everything was painted out with cheap war time suprlus paint except the angels painrted by the Craftwoerkers -which are painted on caqnvas applied to teh wall.
Do you know of any plans to digitise & create a database of the Hodkinsons archive?..A cross comparison of all these archives would lead to some very interesting conclusions I’m sure.
@apelles wrote:
Appeles, what you say is generally ture but in the cqse of Fermoy it is a bit more complicated: Hodiknsons did the original scheme for the whole church ( and the plan survives in Hodkinsons archive) the Dublin Craftworkers only repainted the sanctuary. In circa 1952 everything was painted out with cheap war time suprlus paint except the angels painrted by the Craftwoerkers -which are painted on caqnvas applied to teh wall.
Do you know of any plans to digitise & create a database of the Hodkinsons archive?..A cross comparison of all these archives would lead to some very interesting conclusions I’m sure.
Ageeded totally. It would be worth talking to the propritors of hodgkinsons in Limerick. Chances are they would be interested in such a product.
Some examples of 18th. century French metal work:
Amiens cathedral:
The entrance to the choir and sanctuary
The entrance to the Lady Chapel
The Chapel of Notre Sauveur
The Chapel of St John the Baptist
Amiens Cathedral, some more of the metal work designed by Michel-Ange Slodtz and executed by Jean Veyren (1704-1788)
Amiens cathedral:
The Boroque Choir and sanctuary seen from the triforium behind the High Altar. Unfortunately, the magnifence of the4 floor of the choir cannot be seen by the intrusion of common benches (indeed, very common benches) into the space.
Amiens Cathedral: the Choir Stalles executed between 1508-1519
Some further details on the Choir Stalls:
http://www.cathedrale-amiens.images-en-somme.fr/visite-des-stalles.php
Amiens Cathedral
Some more examples of the metal work designed by Slodtz and executed by Veyden.
Here we have an example of the enceinte grille surrounding the Choir:
Aepelles!
Some more identifications frome the Early archive:
These windows are in St Mary’s Chapel, Maynooth College. I am sure you will remember having seen them in pityable abandon in the midst of Hacker Hurle’s latest destruction of the chapel. The scenes depicted are the annunciation and the Birth of Our Lord. These windows are best seen in the afternoon ( c. 4pm) towards the end of June.
And the pendant, Visitation and Coronation. Thus four of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary (missing the Assumption) are represented in what used to be the chancel wall of the senior chapel.
@apelles wrote:
The inclusion of Sts Clement and St Alphonsus in the apse design above would suggest a connection with the Redemptorists. Praxiteles is not inclined to think that it ios Limerick – though the inclusion of St Clement here would at fiorst sight suggest that (but we already know that Hodkingsons of Limmerick did that interior). Perhaps someone ,ight look at teh Redemptorist monastery in Belfast or perhaps in Dublin as alternative candidates.
Quite possibly Prax but as we have seen before these interiors would have been remodelled & redecorated a number of times..correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Fermoy firstly painted by Hodkingsons of Limerick & later reworked by Craftworkers of Dublin? I’m sure that many beautiful interiors were wiped out only to be replaced with different beautiful interiors by other contractors…until more recently of coarse when they were wiped out to be replaced with white gloss & magnolia emulsion..or if you were lucky a flourescent pink!
Apelles, Your perfectly right, many church interiors were redecorated in completley different decorative schemes throughout the years , some more ,and some less elaborate than the previous schemes. A recent restoration project in Limerick revealed three different elaborate decorative schemes in a side altar of the Redemptorist Church ,carried out between 1868 and 1942 each one completly obliterated the previous ,until finally being whitewashed in the 60’s, but now restored back to the original scheme of 1868 . The ‘ Early ‘ drawing of the Redemptorist Apse is definatley not St.Alphonsus church in Limerick, more probably dublin or dundalk. Early’s rarely worked in the decorative side of the business south of Dublin as Hodkinsons had established a strong business presence in the area from Sligo down to Cork and back up to Kildare.There was a friendly rivalry,and a mutual respect, between both businesses with each rarely venturing into the others territory. Of course , Earlys had a more varied business with their marble-works and stained glass business ,both areas into which Hodkinsons again rarely ventured , although they were agents for an English stained glass firm at one stage in their history. The decoration in Fermoy Parish Church may have been the only scheme as it remained in place for several decades.
Freom the Early archive:
Glaunthane, here, is presuma bly in Cork and teh window should still be there.
The parallel here between the Kingship of Christ and that of Our Lady is theologically interesting. It was precisely this parallel which for a very long long time held up the establishment of the Feast of the Queenship of Mary -which we shall have this week to close the Ocatve of the Assumption. The problem of so obvious a parallelism could -and in some quarters did- give to rise to theological difficulties about the unique and universal salvific opus accomplished by Christ and him alone. Everyone else and everthing else has to fit into that theological structure somewhere but it cannot rival or be seen to displace or replace it. Interesting that this theological pronblem should have found itself onto a window in Cork of all places!!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
