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Category:  All categories >> Art >> Paintings
 
stone carvings from 200 years ago
Some Greeks, Some Romans

The River Gods of Ireland, or Heads of the Rivers, were commissioned by the famous Architect, James Gandon (1743-1823). Gandon was a prominent pupil of the great Sir William Chambers, England&#8217s most reputable and distinguished architect of the period, under whom he learned and developed a Franco-Roman Neo-Classical style.

Lord Carlow and Sir William Berisford, who became his patron, invited Gandon to Ireland.

Gandon&#8217s first major work was the magnificent Custom House in Dublin (1781-1791). Gandon commissioned a virtually unknown stone mason, Edward Smyth, to depict the principal rivers of Ireland as part of the external design to the Custom House. This type of design was once a common architectural motif and generally incorporated those elements closely associated with the flow of the river in the crowns of the stone heads. They were part of the make up of bridges, at the apex, which spanned the rivers.

This series for the Custom House was completed in 1786, after which Smyth was to become Gandon&#8217s principal Sculptor. He worked on other prominent Gandon developments including the Kings Inns, The Four Courts, Parliament House, O&#8217Connell Bridge, The Rotunda Hospital and the great mansion at Emo, Co. Laois.

Gandon&#8217s forte lay in his mastery of planning, understanding of details and deployment of materials.

The heads that Gandon commissioned inspires my watercolours for this Exhibition. They are rarely depicted in colour, as the originals are masonry grey.

The River titles are:


The Atlantic,
The Bann,
The Barrow,
The Blackwater,

The Boyne,
Lough Erne,
The Foyle,
The Lagan,
The Lee,
The Liffey,
The Nore,
The Shannon,
The Slaney,
The Suir.


The medium is watercolour and watercolour and ink on paper.

Roger Cummiskey, Artist
Phone +353 1 283 2253 Mobile:087 222 5241

artroger@gmail.com
www.RogerCummiskey.com


 
 
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