Tuesday, April 30, 2013

St. Michael and All Angels, Shoreditch

In 1858, there was a severe lack of churches in this extremely poor London neighborhood. In fact, there was only church space for 1 in 11 people, while 17 clergymen were each responsible for about 7,000 individuals. Designed by James Brooks, this church was built 1863-65 for a total of 7,500 BP in an early Pointed French, rather than English style.


Brooks' original church plans.


Because of declining congregations, the church was closed and deconsecrated in 1964. The parish at that time was united with St. Leonard's in Shoreditch. Consequently, the St. Michael's building was turned into the home of the London Architectural and Salvage Supply Company Limited in 1976, which occupied most of the space for over thirty years.


In 2007, Westland and Company took over the church to use as showrooms for its architectural garden and decorative antiques business.


A 1908 photo shows what the altar looked like, however, the actual location and current status of the Salviati mosaics in the church that consisted of an "ornamental design" is unknown.


Sources:
Amazon
London Church Buildings
The Independent
Westland and Co.
Church Plans Online 
Parliament. House of Commons Papers. Vol. 14, May 4, 1875. 156.
Church Postcard Views 
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 124.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Westminster Abbey

Arguably one of the most recognizable buildings in England, the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster was founded in the 10th century, possibly earlier. In 1245, Henry III started the construction of the present church.


G.G. Scott designed the altar and reredos that were erected in 1867. The mosaic of The Last Supper is by Salviati based on a cartoon by John R. Clayton, while the sculptures are by Henry Hugh Armstead.
 

An article in The Illustrated London News from 1867.


 The reredos circa 1870-90.


The Salviati reredos today.


Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in front of this altar in April 2011.


Sources:
Wright, John. Some notable altars in the Church of England and the American Episcopal Church. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1908. 74.
The Jane Austen Film Club
English Heritage's flickr Photostream
The Anglophile
Knox News
eBay UK
Time.com
Papers Read at the Royal Institute of British Architects. Session 1868-69. London: Rooms of the Institute. 1869. 45.

Friday, April 26, 2013

St. James Church Cowley

This 12th century Norman church was enlarged by G.E. Street in 1864-65.


Salviati's ornamental decoration for the church can be seen in the mosaic background of the Crucifixion on the altar reredos.




Sources:
Moore, Helen. St. James's Church, Beauchamp Lane, Cowley, Oxfordshire. Thames Valley Archeological Services Ltd., 2003. 6.
Cowley Team Ministry
Oxfordshire Churches
Rex Harris' flickr Photostream

Thursday, April 25, 2013

St. John the Evangelist, Alloa

Designed by architect Robert Rowand Anderson, a former student of G.G. Scott, this Scottish Episcopal church near Glasgow was built 1867-69.



The mosaic reredos of The Last Supper is by Salviati.


Sources:
Scottish Churches
Gifford, John and  Franck Arneil Walker. Stirling and Central Scotland. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002. 26.
The National Churches Trust flickr Photostream
Doors Open Days
Scotland Churches Trust
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 124.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Church of St. Peter, Vauxhall

Built in 1863-64, this church was designed by John Loughborough (J.L.) Pearson.


The chancel wall decoration consists of frescoes, while the altar - also designed by Pearson - is surmounted by an alabaster reredos by Poole of Westminster embellished with gold mosaics by Salviati.



Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 124.
St. Peter's Vauxhall
The Vauxhall Society
Geograph

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Holy Trinity Brompton

Much of the interior of this 1829 London church was redesigned by Arthur Blomfield in 1879-82.


The sanctuary reredos from 1885 was designed by John R. Clayton.



The central figure of Christ Enthroned surrounded by angels is flanked on either side by a total of twelve individual figures, including John the Baptist, St. Peter, King David and the Virgin Mary.

 

Sources:
British History Online: Survey of London 41, Page 32
British History Online: Survey of London 41, Pages 33-49
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 125.
Castor, David. Wikimedia Commons
Marcus Perkins Photography
London 365 Photo
Alaistair Humphreys' flickr Photostream
American Institute of Architects. Architectural  Record. Vol 2. New York: The Record and Guide, 1893. 81. 

Monday, April 22, 2013

St. Mary Magdalene Paddington

This High Victorian Gothic church near the Little Venice area of London was designed by G.E. Street and built 1867-78.


Six hexagonal mosaics by Salviati surround the chancel - four to the left of the altar and two to the right.


A catalog of Salviati's works from after 1903 shows the original designs for two of the medallions.


The Good Shepherd: "I am the Good Shepherd I know my sheep"


The return of the Prodigal Son: "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee"


The woman taken in adultery: "Neither do I condemn Thee go and sin no more"


Raising of Lazarus: "And he that was dead came forth"


St. Peter's denial: "The Lord turned and looked upon Peter"


The impotent man at the pool of Bethesda: "Go and sin no more lest a worse thing come unto Thee"


The 2012 film "Les Miserables" used the Crypt Chapel of St. Sepulchre in this church as the Bishop's chapel, featuring scenes with Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. Although that scene takes place in the 1860s, the actual crypt wasn't built until 1895.


Sources:
Erede Dr. A. Salviati & Co. Venezia Catalog. Items 112 & 113. "The Life of Christ made for London. 25 sq. ft. each. 2nd Cat." After 1903. Courtesy of @Troyoz on Twitter
British Listed Buildings
Victorian Web
Rex Harris' flickr Photostream
YouTube

Friday, April 19, 2013

St. Mary's Newtownforbes

The parish church of Clonguish was built in 1861 but underwent a major restoration in 1973.


A Salviati mosaic memorial tablet commissioned by George Forbes, 7th Earl of Granard for his late wife Jane Colclough Grogan-Morgan survived the restoration and can now be found behind the altar.


The Countess of Granard died in 1872 at Johnstown Castle when she was just 32 years old.


Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 126.
dr_urbanus (Martin) flickr Photostream
Family Search
seikinsou's flickr Photostream

Thursday, April 18, 2013

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

This Romanesque style church in Milwaukee was designed by architect Edward Townsend Mix and built in 1884.


The marble and mosaic Salviati reredos of 1890-91 was originally located under the apse mural of three stylized angels.


The altar reredos was dismantled after a December 1950 fire, which seriously damaged the chancel and its furnishings.


The mosaic panels from the dismantled reredos were relocated in 1953 to niches on the liturgical west wall of the nave. 





Following renovations in 2012, the worship space was restored to more closely resemble the design before the fire. That included the installation of a new organ in the apse using much of the old Hook and Hastings pipes, the removal of transept walls added after the fire, the closing of the apse that replaced the altar and reredos of the original church, and moving the cross and altar into the area formerly the choir stalls.


The church will be celebrating its 175th Anniversary later this year.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 126.
Historical American Building Survey: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1969
Pipe Organ Database
Paul McClure DC's flickr Photostream
Ship of Fools
Beyer Construction
A special thanks to Steve Teague, Rector at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Milwaukee for personally providing both additional information about the reredos, as well as the photographs of the mosaics themselves.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Siena Cathedral

The cathedral - also known as Santa Maria Assunta - was built 1215-63.


The cartoons for three large scenes on the gables of the west facade are by Luigi Mussini and Alessandro Franchi. The mosaics were made by Salviati in 1878.


The Coronation of the Virgin by Mussini


The Presentation of Mary in the Temple is on the left, while The Nativity of Jesus is on the right. Both were designed by Franchi.


Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 127.
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Camp Champions
Hotel Siena
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