New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-04

successor Father Patrick Corrigan and con
secrated on November 10. 1878.
The present rector, Father Charles j. Kelly.
who has greatly strengthened the parish ana
opened the parochial school, has just accom-
pllshed the renovation and decoration or the IN
terror in harmony with the architecture. when
is thirteenth century French Gothic, using the
pClychromatc decoration OF the same century
The result has been so notable that the church
is now visited by many persons interested III
ecclesiastical art well as those who are at
tracted to the church by the fact that Roman
Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin IS cur
ousy wrought into the decoration the columns
spandrils walls and vaultng all speaking IN
words and symbols of the honor paid to the
Blessed Virgin, who is invoked by the parish
as Our Lady of Grace" SO thoroughly ~
this feature wrought into the work that the
decorations form vast mosaic In honor or the
Virgin whom Catholics hail as the Mother OF
God and the human channel Of salvation 10
mankind. 80
The churches of the French Gothic style of the
thirteenth century and the Missals and other
illuminated manuscripts of that period were
searched for designs and hints in coiorlhg' ana
for the ground upon which the brightest colors
might be laid in harmonious combination, with
out either loss Of power or an impression Oh
gaudness or crudeness, the artists chose the
tone of the vellum leaves or the old service
books Of the church, upon which the illumina-
tfons in colors and gold. glow with harmony
and brilliance. The soft, light ground serves
TO remove the impression OF rtgidity Which
is sometimes given by the various conventional.
lied forms Of the cross and the heur -de-ls anu
the scroll work. which are used In PERCUSSION IN
the decorations, especially In the spandrlis III
the nave and trapsepts and in the chance walls
The groups of pillars which support the super
structure stand out boldly In deep crimson req,
divided by chevron bands OF blue and OLD goio'
covered with conventionalized scrollwork IN
black Each crimson space between these
bands is ornamented with large cross or
fieur-de-ls in gold. the design being placed
on alternate pillars. The smaller shafts OF tne
Pillars, from which the ribs Of the vaulted cell
ing spring are painted green and powdered
with light green rosettes The foliage OF all the
capitals OF these pillars is painted gold color
and enriched with gold. The moulded apacl OF
the capitals are. however richly coiored.
The medallions in the spandrs are surround
ed by scrowork, and the wall spaces IN the
clerestory are painted with masonry pattern
containing a small cross device In each stone
The vaulted ceiling Of the nave shows sim
pier treatment the ribs being In a rather light
| elaborated cross OF scrolwork and flowers. the
centre of which is a rayed disk surrounding
| the boss Of the vaultng. Red, green, tawny
| and chocolate are the colors used.
The treatment of the vaulted ceilings Of the
| asles and transepts is the same as In the nave.
| The walls of the aisles show above the wans-
| coting a band Of crimson diapered with a SIM
| pie pattern in which the cross appears, and sur
| mounted by band Of green. blue, red and
| black. Above this Is masonry pattern In
which the initial Of the Blessed Virgin. M"
appears in blue. surmounted by crown of
| seven points. the symbOlical crown OF seven
| sorrows. AT the springing Of the window arches
| is battlemented border in strong colors. sup
| porting a vossoir decoration. in each division
! Of which is a rose. symbolical OF the Blessed
| Virgin The Vamrock appears on the side
| shafts OF the ribs of the vaulting.
| In the transepts the designs of the nave re-
| appear in elaborated form. The end wall on
| the gospel side shows medallions, one contain
| ing the two keys and the other the triple crown.
| synbolical of the claims of the Roman Church.
| The end wall OF the transepts the epstle
| side shows in architectural framework a
| large painting of the assumption OF the Blessed
| Virgin. wrought after the canons Of symboIcal
| art, representing the Blessed Virgin as being
| borne to heaven by four angels, while two others
| bear instruments of music Above this is a
| representation of the Deity, in a triangular
| ninbus and attended by angels bearing scrolls
| upon which the Latin words for II am ex-
| aited above the choir OF angels"
| The church terminates in three apses: the
| larger central one being the sanctuary that
| on the gospel side being the Chapel Of the
| Blessed Virgin. and that on the epistle side
| the Chapel OF st. Joseph. The large. high arch
| Of the sanctuary shows on Ms broad face elabo-
| rate dark blue scroll work and lighter blue
| ground the color being chosen because OF its
| association in art with the Blessed Virgin. The
| scroll work Is divided at regular intervals by
| medallions containing emblems and monographs
| The medallions present In a decorative and con-
/ ventional form the emblems of the Blessed Vir-
| gin and the monograms OF the ave Maria and
l the Maria Regina"
in Gothic letters surnounted by crowns: and