The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-04-23
Irish Exhibition at Worlds Fair.

The coming Irish exhibition at the Worlds Fair
III st Louis Will present the wonderful collac
ton of Celtic historic art that has been made in
modern times, if not in the history of the world
The artistic industries in which the Irish race for
centuries antedatng the Christian period exceed
Will be given prominence in this exhibit These
Will DC illustrated from earliest times chiefly as re-
CARDS the Celtic period by fac SMILES of the bronze
and gold work of that time, and also by full size
casts OF architecture and sculpture in stone The
famous cross of Muracach at Monasterboce will be
among the objects there represented. series of
fac SMILES of the Illuminated and also of literary
manuscripts Will bring down this representation of
an important province of Irish art and scholarship
from the seventh century Book of Kcs to the four
tenth or fifteenth century. This illumination of
manuscripts was an art in which the old Irish
scribes surpassed all others in skill The rare grace
OF the intricate designs would puzzled the most
skilled chirographist of the present day to initiate
without special training. COlors which bright
and fresh today, many centuries after the hand
which laid them on the vellum has crumbled into
dust, are mystery to the painter. With the max
ers of these wonderful inks the secret has passed
away. None today can tell of what they were COM
posed. From the fifteenth century till the close
of the Wihamits wars, there little art work in
Ireland The people were too busy Ill the struggle
for political existence, but from the close of the
seventeenth century to the early nineteenth CEN
fury Ireland was famous for the artistic beauty
ture and the generosity of private owners and pub
lie bodies has enabled very interesting and vau
able collection of this beautiful art be brought
together.
Some specimens of antique Irish furniture, re-
markable for beauty of carving, will also be shown,
including the only existing example of members
chair from the Irish house of commons. A fine
collection of Cork and Waterford art glass of the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries will help to
illustrate the art industries of this period.
Closely connected with the historic art indus
tries of the country the historical relies com
memorative of distinguished Irishmen of sal
lent epochs in Irish history. Relics cOmmemora-
tive of the Volunteer movement the Confederation
of Kilkenny. The Wiamite wars and the insur
rection of 1893 have been kindly lent by various
owners, and personal relics of great interest assoc
ciated with the names of Swift Grattan, Burke.
Henry Joy, McCracken, O'Connell, Parnell, Father
Matthew and other distinguished Irishmen have
been obtained. An extensive series of Irish coins
has been obtained, and number of articles repre-
senting minor arts industries and social life III Ire
land prior to the nineteenth century
A collection of Irish prints and engravings will
be fitting completion to these exhibits This sec
ton has been formed under the direction of Mr..
of the National gallery with the double
object of presenting a series of portraits of dis
tinguished Irishmen and masterpieces of the coun-
try and of its towns they existed in earlier times,
and at the time illustrating the art and craft
OF engraving, winch was at one Time Drought. 10
high point of development in Ireland. The colec
ton of Irish historic portraits is, perhaps the most
complete that has yet been possible to bring to-
gether. 1t will include portraits of Hugh ONeill,
earl of Tyrone; of the famous franciscan, Luke |
Wadding, represented by an example from the very
rare engraving of the portrait at Rome; of Sars-
ield, the hero of Limerick; Walker the defender
If Londonderry; the great Duke of Ormonde Pro
7ost Usher, Castereagh, GFattan, Flood, Lord
Jharemont, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Wolfe Tone,
Emmett O'Connell, Davis, Parnell James Barry,
Croker, and many others who have played on one
tide or another a leading part in Irish history, or
,een connected with Irish literature and art NAL
on's interesting series of old Dublin views will be
hown, as well as the scarce views of the Dublin
painter Jonathan Fisher, and others. Some inter
sting and scarce old maps have been acquired.