Words + Images

I’ve long known of Harry Clarke and his illustrations and during previous trips to Dublin I learned of his work in stained glass, like at Bewley Cafe, but for this trip I was a bit by the seat of my pants and so I did not know there was some of his glass on exhibit at the National Gallery. And as we chanced upon his work, a docent for the museum led in a group and began to talk about why Clarke was so special in his use of layered glass for jeweled effect and his use of dark colors to direct the eyes of the viewer to the lighter glass to see what he wanted you to see. One window on view was the Mother of Sorrows, depicting the story of Mary holding the lifeless body of her son.

According to an accompanying curatorial note, the window had been designed as a WWI memorial but instead became a memorial to Sister Superior Mary of Saint Winifred who had commissioned it.

In addition to Mary holding Jesus, St. Francis stands to one side and St. Catherine on the other.

And always angels looking on.

The window is currently on view at the National Gallery. Entrance is free (though not all exhibits are free).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Clarke

https://www.nationalgallery.ie/