Praxiteles
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Praxileles
A Rege saeculorum immortali et invisibili qui redempturus mundum hominum historiam intravit pro festis venturis ac novi anni principio divinae gratiae ubertatem Vobis omnibus exoptat.
Does anybody know anything of the influence this gentleman may or may not have had on E.W. Pugin’s preference for French Gothic?
DIDRON, ADOLPHE NAPOLEON (1806-1867), French archaeologist, was born at Hautvillers, in the department of Marne, on the i3th of March 1806. At first a student of law, he began in 1830, by the advice of Victor Hugo, a study of the Christian archaeology of the middle ages. After visiting and examining the principal churches, first of Normandy, then of central and southern France, he was on his return appointed by Guizot secretary to the Historical Committee of Arts and Monuments (1835); and in the following years he delivered several courses of lectures on Christian iconography at the Bibliotheque Royale. In 1839 he visited Greece for the purpose of examining the art of the Eastern Church, both in its buildings and its manuscripts. In 1844 he originated the Annales archeologiques, a periodical devoted to his favorite subject, which he edited until his death. In 1845 he established at Paris a special archaeological library, and at the same time a manufactory of painted glass. In the same year he was admitted to the Legion of Honor. His most important work is the Iconographie chretienne, of which, however, the first portion only, Histoirede Dieu (1843), was published. It was translated into English by E. J. Millington. Among his other works may be mentioned the Manuel d’icono-graphie chrelienne grecque et latine (1845), the Iconographie des chapiteaux du palais ducal de Venise (1857), and the Manuel des objets de bronze et d’orfevrerie (1859). He died on the i3th of November 1867.
6. The Cahpel of Gormanstown Castle, Co. Meath, 1687
To round off the tour of churches in continuous Catholic use, mention should be made of the Chapel on the Preston estate at Gormanstown Castle which was built by the Viscount Goranstown in 1687 for Catholic use. It remained in such use until 1947 when the estate was bought by the Franciscans who promptly demolished what was probably the only pre-18th. Catholic estate chapel in the country!
The Franciscan Abbey at Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath 1268
Another example of a medieval church in Catholic use is Multyfarnham Abbey. It was roofless from 1650 to 1827.
Multyfarnham Franciscan Friary
Multyfarnham
Westmeath.
DescriptionIrish history.
In the present friary church parts of a 15th century church survive, including the nave, south transept and tower, as well as the south window (though not its glass). Nothing remains of the chancel or of the original domestic buildings. The church was given its present form in 1827 when the Franciscans returned to their old monastery. The church was refurbished in 1976.
This last sentence sounds ominous.
5. The Black Abbey, Kilkenny 1225
Built for the Dominicans in 1225 by WIlliam Marshall, Strongbow’s son, the Black Abbey was suppressed in 1543 and converted into a courthouse. It was partially restored in 1778 and certainly functioned as a church from 1814. Further reatoration was effected c. 1850. The stone work is good and the wood work of the ceiling excellent. In the 1970s it underwent a typical “restoration” which saw the stripping of the walls alla Killarney, the demolition of the liturgical furnishings ofthe 19th. century, the abandonment of the Chancel and the placing of the Altar in the nave. Much of this work liturgical work pays little attention to the lines or original spacial disposition of the building. Some highly dubious galss has been installed in the Chancel and a scratching post tabernacle installed.
The Black Abbey as engraved by S. Hooper in 1793 followed by a photograph of 1905:
Re: 376
Dear Anto:
I have just realized that there is another church to add to your list of medieval churches in Catholic use: The Black Abbey in Kilkenny.
Here is an even better picture to illustrate the balefuls state of the Baptistry in Cobh Cathedral and the evident neglect to which it has been subjected. Since I saw it last summer, one of the marble pillar on the rail has diasappeared. And this is supposed to be listed building and a protected structure. Cork County Council and the Cobh Town Clerk persistently hold that there are no problems about the maintanance of the building.
The West Portal of St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, showing the archivolt with series of figures of the Patriarchs and Prophets of the Old Testament, which has been combined with the twelve Apostles depicted on the architrave of the portal. Thus, following the iconography of the Royal Portal at Chartres, the West Portal of Cobh Cathedral combines the Old and New Testaments, thereby indicating the continuity of the worship given to God in both Testaments and its culmination in Christ. Unlike Chartres, Cobh has one row of Patriarchs and Prophets rather than three and does not incorporate any of the angelic hosts so evident in Chartres Portal.
In Cobh, the sequence runs as follows:
R
1.Malachiah
2. Ezechiel * associated with the verse Porta clausa et non aperiet, a reference to Our Lady
3. Isaiah* associated with the verse Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium, a reference to Birth of Christ, depicted with the saw by which he died.
4. David
5. Aaron associated with the flowering Rod of Num 17:1-11 a prefiguiring of Our Lady
6. Melchisadeck king and priest of Salem who met Abraham with bread and wine prefiguining the Eucharist (Gen 14:18-24)
7. Noah the flood: Gen 6:14-22; Gen 7,8:1-19; Gen 8: 20-22; Gen 9: 1-19L
1. Abraham depicted with a knife referring to the sacrifice of Isaac in gn 22:1-19- a propotype for the sacrifice of Christ.
2. Moses
3. Job the pype of the suffering Christ.
4. Jonah
5. Jeremiah* the Prophet of the Passion of Christ.
6. Daniel* the lions in background referring to the Book of Daniel Chapter 6.
7. Zachariah* denotes the major Prophets
Below the figures of Patriarch Noah with the ark; and the Priest-King of Salem (Jerusalem) Melchisadeck.
McLenin, do you have a photograph of the Sedilia in Cobh? It is at the other side of the sancturay facing the Cathedra. Cobh, as you would expect, is designed to accomodate the usage of the Roman Missal, with all three seats on the same level, the priest on a bigger seat in the centre with the deacon adn subdeacon at either side. If I recall correctly, on the oak screen above each seat is inscribed in Latin the words “sacerdos”, d”diaconus” and “subdiaconus”, making it perfectly clear that the seats are an integral part of the screens. If I remember correctly, the Cathedral authorities in c. 1995 signed a covenant with the Heritage Council not to remove or interfere with the screens in order to qualify for a grant of
The magnificent sedilia in the south wall of the Chancel of A.W.N. Pugin’s masterpiece, St. Giles, Cheadle. The sedilia is arranged in accordance with the usage of the Cathedral of Salisbury: the priest closest the Altar, on his left, and at a lower level, the deacon, and on his left, at a lower level, the subdeacon. To right of the sedilia is a piscina with symbols of water and wine underneath it. the functions of all three orders are alluded tow in the symbols in the pierced quardafoils: the chalice for the priest, the gospel for the deacon, and the cruets for the subdeacon. In case anybody missed the message, benewth the seats, Pugin inscribed “Sacerdos”, “Diaconus” and “Subdiaconus”. The tiles on the floor are by Minton and have miraculously survived. Each step leading to the Altar has an inscription appropriate to its position.
For the purposes of comparison, this is the medieval sedilia in Holy Cross Abbey. The compostion is the same: piscina followed by sedilia in the south wall of the Chancel. This time, however, the sedilia is arranged in accordance with the usage of the Roman Missal: the priest sits in the centre, the deacon on his right and the subdeacon on his left all on the same level.
The sedilia in the south wall of the Honan Chapel in Cork is also in accordance with the usage of the Roman Missal. The piscina is removed from the sedilia.
In an earlier posting, Graham Hickey showed a picture of the Chancel of St. Patrick’s in Dundalk which also has a magnificent sedilia by E.W. Pugin.
Re # 376:
Well Antho, I have provided whatever information I could find re. the important small group of medieval churches in Ireland in continuous Catholic use. Reflecting on them, it strikes me that you have the outlines of a history of approaches to restoration in Ireland. Clearly, A.W.N. Pugin was most influential in Adare with resultant sympathetic results. Ballintobber, seems to have had a complicated restoration history and finally suffered an albeit minor re-ordering that is reversible. Holy Cross and Graiguenamanagh (while architecturally excellently carried out) came on stream late enough to suffer an insensitive liturgical adaptation that takes little or no account of the buildings. Do you think that a fair comment?
