Showing posts with label Mary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary. Show all posts

Friday, June 28, 2013

Erfurt Cathedral

Also known as St. Mary's Cathedral, the present Gothic style building is from the 14th or 15th century.


The western facade of the cathedral was decorated in 1870 with a mosaic of the Madonna by Salviati after a design by August Theodor Kaselowsky of Berlin. The triangular picture was 19.5 feet wide and 27 feet high. The Madonna was in the "conventional blue and red", while the Christ child was draped in a white robe. The blue background was adorned with golden stars and an 8 inch elliptical halo surrounded both figures. All of the tesserea, except the stars which were produced locally, were made in Venice.


Undated, color postcard illustrating the mosaic.


1955 photo from the Federal Archives of Germany


Archive photo of the rear of the Cathedral from 1957.


Color photograph from late 1960s


A similar view taken in 2005.

Because of leaking, the neo-Gothic roof of the Cathedral was replaced in 1968 and the gable with the mosaic was removed. The mosaic itself was placed in storage. It was temporarily removed in 1992 to be photographed and cataloged. The cost of restoring the mosaic was found to be prohibitive and it was returned to storage.


Sources:
Murray, John. "Handbook for North Germany and the Rhine." 19th ed. London: 1877, 277.
The Architect and Contract Reporter. "Mosaics in Germany." Vol 5. London: April 8, 1871. 182.
Akpool.de
Wikimedia Commons from the German Federal Archive
Sascha Klauer's flickr Photostream
Erfurt Guide
Wikipedia
Wikimedia Commons from the German Federal Archive
gerhard LIEB's Picasa Webalbum
motiv 42

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.
My World My Book
Tumblr
Camp Champions
Hotel Siena
Wikipedia

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street

Architect Joseph John Scoles designed this Roman Catholic Church that was built 1844-49 and which is run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).


Henry Clutton designed the church's outer aisles and several chapels including the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament (also called the Sacred Heart Chapel) in 1860, which may be why his name is associated with Salviati's Venetian mosaics from around the same time that are located above A.W.N. Pugin's high altar.


Presented in 1875, the two mosaic panels depict the Annunciation and the Coronation of the Virgin, respectively.



Sources:
Wikipedia
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 125.
Wheatley, Henry Benjamin and Peter Cunningham. London: Past and Present. Vol II. London: John Murray, 1891. 31.
Fr. Lawrence Lew, OP's flirck Photostream
Evinson, Denis. Catholic Churches in London. Wiltshire: The Cromwell Press, 1998. 44.
Hibbert, Christopher, et. al. The London Encyclopaedia. 3rd ed. London: Macmillan, 2008. 170.
Brian Harrington Spier's flickr Photostream
Rex Harris' flickr Photostream