Thomas Farrell

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Thomas Farrell (*  1827 in Dublin ; † July 2, 1900 ibid) was one of the most important Irish sculptors in the second half of the 19th century, who was seen in a row with John Henry Foley and John Hogan .

Life

Farrell was born the third son into the Catholic family of Terence and Maria Farrell, who already ran a sculpting workshop in Dublin. Unlike his two older brothers, Farrell was accepted into the Modeling School of the Royal Dublin Society in 1842 . The school then introduced the style of neoclassicism , using the work of John Flaxman in particular as a basis. Neoclassicism was spread relatively late in Ireland, but at this time it had become very popular, particularly through the Irish sculptor John Hogan, who worked in Rome. Farrell won the award in the Original Design in Clay category as early as 1843 . Further prizes from the Royal Irish Art Union followed in 1844 and 1846. In the exhibitions in Cork in 1852 and in Dublin in 1853, his works were well known and positively appreciated.

The monument to the Dublin Archbishop Daniel Murray, who died in 1852, in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral was Farrell's first major commission

After the death of Dublin Archbishop Daniel Murray , who died in 1852, there was an open competition for an order for a corresponding sculpture. The most important competitors were John Hogan, who had recently returned to Dublin from Rome, Christopher Moore and Joseph Kirk . Farrell won the very prestigious contract, becoming an independent artist who broke out of the shadow of his family. In preparation for the work Farrell went on a study trip to Italy, probably in the winter of 1853/1854. Farrell began work on the statue in Dublin in 1854, and in 1855 it was installed in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral . The statue shows Murray in a kneeling, submissive prayer position, which Antonio Canova used for his statue for Clemens XIII. had used.

Another important order for Farrell was the bronze relief on the Wellington Testimonial in Phoenix Park , completed in 1861 , but it did not help him to enter the English market. Although Farrell could be considered the leading Irish sculptor in the early 1860s, he was faced with increasingly serious competition from London-based John Henry Foley, who received many commissions from Protestant circles. Farrell was not ignored here, but the orders of the Catholic Church and from Catholics became increasingly important to him. Another problem was the lack of trust in local Irish artists. In the mid-1860s, there was an open tender for the monument in honor of Daniel O'Connell , which received over 60 designs, including Farrell, who created four allegorical figures for Ireland, around the pedestal for the statue for O'Connell, the law, patriotism and eloquence envisaged as aspects of freedom which were particularly represented by O'Connell. Although the design received recognition, the contract ultimately went to John Henry Foley in London, although public opinion was more on Farrell's side. The Commission apparently lacked the courage to award the contract to an artist who had not yet proven himself outside of Ireland.

Towards the end of his life, Farrell still received numerous commissions, some in open tenders, such as in the case of the statue for Robert Stewart. He has also received honors. On October 13, 1893, he was the first sculptor to be elected President of the Royal Hibernian Academy and on May 24, 1894, he was beaten Knight Bachelor ("Sir"). Farrell died on July 2, 1900 in Redesdale House, where his three remaining brothers also lived. His very withdrawn way of life was also expressed in his last wish that his death should not be reported until several days later. This request was granted, much to the regret of the Royal Hibernian Academy, whose members would have liked to attend the funeral. Instead, he was remembered at a meeting on July 18, 1900.

Works (selection)

  • 1855: Monument to Daniel Murray in marble in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral
  • 1861: Bronze relief for the victorious battle of Waterloo on the Wellington Testimonial in honor of Arthur Wellesley
  • 1862: Bust for Mother Teresa Ball in marble, Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham, Dublin
  • 1863: Statue to William Dargan in bronze, in the center of the courtyard of the National Gallery of Ireland
  • 1864: Statue for Captain John McNeill Boyd in marble, St. Patrick's Cathedral (Dublin)
  • 1865: Sculpture for Archbishop Richard Whately in marble, St. Patrick's Cathedral (Dublin)
  • 1870: Statue to William Smith O'Brien in marble, O'Connell Street, Dublin
  • 1873: Bust for Jane Colclough, Countess of Granard, Castleforbes, County Longford
  • 1875: Statue for Archbishop John McHale in marble, Tuam Cathedral
  • 1879: Statue to Sir John Gray in marble, O'Connell Street, Dublin
  • 1881: High relief of the Descent from the Cross at the base of a Celtic cross , Church of the Holy Evangelist, Carnmoney, County Antrim
  • 1882: Statue for Cardinal Paul Cullen in marble in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral
  • 1886: Monument in honor of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in marble, Glasnevin Cemetery , Dublin
  • 1886: Statue for William Dease in marble, Royal College of Surgeons , Dublin
  • 1888: “Sursum Corda”, monument in honor of Ellen Palles in marble, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin
  • 1891: Statue for Sir Arthur Guinness in bronze, St. Stephen's Green
  • around 1891: Statue for Cardinal John Henry Newman in marble, University Church, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin
  • around 1893: bust for Thomas Sexton, City Hall, Dublin
  • 1898: Statue to Sir Robert Stewart in marble, Leinster Lawn, Merrion Square, Dublin
  • 1899: Bust for Sir Patrick Keenan in marble, Department of Education, Marlborough Street, Dublin

gallery

  • Archbishop Daniel Murray (1855)

  • Archbishop Richard Whately (1865)

  • William Smith O'Brien (1875)

  • Archbishop John McHale (1875)

  • Sir John Gray (1879)

  • Cardinal Paul Cullen (1882)

  • Sir Arthur Edward Guinness (1891)

literature

  • The Late Sir Thomas Farrell, PRHA In: Irish Times . July 5, 1900, p. 6 , col. 8 ( irishtimes.com ).
  • Paula Murphy: Thomas Farrell, Sculptor . In: Irish Arts Review Yearbook . tape 9 , 1993, pp. 196-207 , JSTOR : 20492737 .
  • Paula Murphy: Nineteenth-Century Irish Sculpture . Native Genius Reaffirmed. Yale University Press, New Haven 2010, ISBN 978-0-300-15909-7 .
  • Fintan Cullen: Visualizing Ireland's first cardinal . In: Dáire Keogh, Albert McDonnell (Ed.): Cardinal Paul Cullen and his World . Four Courts Press, Dublin 2011, ISBN 978-1-84682-235-3 , pp. 401-413 .
  • Paula Murphy: Farrell, Thomas . In: Sculpture 1600-2000 (=  Art and Architecture of Ireland ). Volume III. Yale University Press, Dublin 2014, ISBN 978-0-300-17921-7 , pp. 109-112 .

Web links

Commons : Sir Thomas Farrell  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ The information on the year of birth is contradictory as Paula Murphy noted in 1993 (footnote 1 on p. 207): In the obituary for Thomas Farrell in the Irish Times , 1829 is given as the year of birth. The records at Glasnevin Cemetery confirm this, as they give Farrell's age at the time of death as 70 years. Paula Murphy notes, however, that 1827 is given as the year of birth in Strickland's Dictionary of Irish Artists and that the baptism date is May 13, 1827 in the records of the St. Andrew Congregation in Dublin. Paula Murphy thinks 1827 is more plausible.
  2. ↑ Paula Murphy 2014, p. 112; this statement is also in contradiction to the obituary of the Irish Times, which notes with regret on July 5, 1900 that, due to Farrell's request, the death is reported four days late; this would indicate July 1, 1900.
  3. ↑ Paula Murphy 2014: "Farrell was one of the most famous sculptors in Ireland in the second half of the nineteenth century."
  4. ↑ Irish Times Obituary: “Sir Thomas Farrell was the successor of Foley and Hogan; he maintained after those pre-eminent masters the best traditions of the Irish School of Sculpture, [..] "
  5. ↑ Paula Murphy 2014, p. 109; on the mother's name, see Paula Murphy 1993, p. 207, footnote 1.
  6. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 196.
  7. ↑ Paula Murphy 2014, p. 109.
  8. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 198.
  9. ↑ Cullen 2011, p. 404; Image for this on Commons .
  10. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, pp. 198-199.
  11. ^ Paul Murphy, p. 201.
  12. ^ William Arthur Shaw: The Knights of England. Volume 2, Sherratt and Hughes, London 1906, p. 393.
  13. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 206.
  14. ↑ Fintan Cullen 2014, p. 405; Paula Murphy 2014, p. 110.
  15. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 205.
  16. ^ Viola Barrow: The National Gallery of Ireland . In: Dublin Historical Record . tape 36 , no. 4 . Old Dublin Society, 1983, p. 132-139 , JSTOR : 30100737 . Paula Murphy 1993, p. 199.
  17. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 196; Christine Casey: Dublin (=  The Buildings of Ireland ). Yale University Press, New Haven 2005, ISBN 978-0-300-10923-8 , pp. 622 .
  18. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 203.
  19. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 201.
  20. ↑ Paula Murphy 2010, p. 164; Paula Murphy 2014, p. 111.
  21. ^ The Jubilee of the Archbishop of Tuam . In: Irish Times . June 10, 1875, p. 3 , col. 2 ( irishtimes.com ).
  22. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 200.
  23. ↑ Paula Murphy 2010, pp. 183-184.
  24. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 202; Fintan Cullen, p. 407
  25. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 202.
  26. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 204.
  27. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 203.
  28. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 199.
  29. ↑ On February 6, 1892, the Irish Times reported that the bust had recently been installed: The Catholic University Church Stephen's Green . In: Irish Times . February 6, 1892, p. 6 , col. 2 ( irishtimes.com ). Paula Murphy 1993, p. 206.
  30. ↑ Paula Murphy 2010, p. 164.
  31. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 200.
  32. ↑ Paula Murphy 1993, p. 200.
personal data
SURNAME Farrell, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish sculptor
DATE OF BIRTH 1827
PLACE OF BIRTH Dublin
DATE OF DEATH July 2, 1900
Place of death Dublin