Friday, March 29, 2013

Church of St. Nicholas Sevastopol

Located on the Black Sea and dedicated to the patron saint of sailors, this pyramid-shaped church was built in 1857-70 as part of the Imperial Russian military cemetery by Alexey Andreyevich Avdeyev after he revised original plans by architect Andrei Ivanovich Stackenschneider.


The exterior of the church is decorated with Salviati mosaics of figures and ornaments.


Christ Pantocrator after a painting by Fyodor Bruni, a Russian painter of Italian descent.


Between 1887 and 1893, over 600 square meters of original paintings on the interior were replaced by mosaics by Salviati. Half of the mosaics were damaged during shelling in June 1942, but they have since been restored.

Sources:
Poi Radar
Wikipedia
Photo album of Sevastopol
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 139.
Crimea Tour Service
Memorial Church of St. Nicholas

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Central Lobby, Houses of Parliament

Four mosaics can be found in the central hall of the English Houses of Parliament in Westminster Palace. Two of them were made by Salviati.


St. George was designed by Sir Edward Poynter at a cost of £150 and manufactured by Salviati for £500. It was installed in 1870.


St. David was also by Poynter and Salviati, but it wasn't finished until 1898.


Sources:
Michael Shanks' Blog
Architecture of the Palace
Explore Parliament
Hansard, Thomas Curson. Hansard's Parliamentary Debates, London: Cornelius Buck, March 28, 1883. 1034-36.
Taylor and Francis. The Houses of Parliament. 1991, 48.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Palazzo Barbarigo Venice

Located near the entrance to the magnificent Grand Canal on the left side about halfway between the entrance to the canal at the Doge's Palace and the Ponte dell' Accademia, this 16th century building was used for the design, light manufacture (cutting and assembly of the smalti), sale and display of Salviati mosaics.


This is not the same building as the Palazzo Barbarigo Hotel, which is further down the canal, but rather the one just a few hundred feet from the location of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Coincidentally, another two hundred feet past the Guggenheim building is the Palazzo Salviati, a 1924 building that was also lavishly decorated with mosaics to advertise the company's products.



The mosaic scenes on the Barbarigo's maritime facade were added in 1868. The central frieze shows thirty-five cherubs pursuing various artistic endeavors including painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture.


The two individual murals - designed by Giulio Carlini - commemorate 16th century royal visits to Venice including Charlemagne (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor) speaking to Titian on the scaffolding of St. Mark's Basilica. A young mosaicist looks on from above, pausing from his work.


The second mural shows the future French King Henry III in 1574 on the Doge's barge along with a team of glassmakers.


Portraits of arguably the two most famous Venetian painters - Titian and Tintoretto - are located above each scene. St. Mark's lion - the symbol of the city of Venice - tops one of the two individual portraits, while the back rooster - the symbol of Murano - crowns the other.


Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 27, 31-32.
Venice Daily Photo
Branislav Slantchev on Gotterdamerung
HEN-Magonza's flickr Photostream
Smith, George Ed. The Cornhill Magazine. XIX. London: Smith, Elder and Co., January to June, 1869. 462.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Albert Memorial Chapel, Windsor Castle

Among Antonio Salviati's first English commissions was an 1862 request from Queen Victoria for the decoration of the Wolsey Chapel in the east passage of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which was turned into the Albert Memorial Chapel soon after the December 1861 death of her beloved husband.



In addition to the tomb of Victoria's grandson Albert, Duke of Clarence (d. 1892), the chapel also contains the remains of her youngest son, Prince Leopold (d. 1884).

View of the eastern-end windows.


The 28 panels of the west wall's blank window are decorated with mosaics of full-length figures of historic individuals who have some type of connection to Windsor Castle including British Kings, Queens and Prelates. This section of mosaic was ordered separately in 1864.


The extensive ceiling mosaics that cover about 2,100 square feet, as well as the soffits of the side windows feature 92 angels, heraldry and floral motifs. The general designs were by G.G. Scott and the cartoons were created by J.R. Clayton. The ceiling mosaics were completed first, and the pre-fabrication (in Venice), transportation to London and installation took a total of ten months.

Sources:
London Connection
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 18.
College of St. George Chapel Archives
Le Monde1's flickr Photostream
Aaron K Hall's flickr Photostream
Striderv's flickr Photostream
Mary Scots' flickr Photostream
Papers Read at the Royal Institute of British Architects. Session 1868-69. London: Rooms of the Institute. 1869. 44.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Prussian War Memorial to the Fallen

Erected in 1880 when the city was called Thorn and was part of Prussia, the Pomnik Poleglych Toruniu was built to commemorate the dead from the wars of years 1860, 1866, 1870 and 1871. It was designed by German architect Johannes Otzen.


Salviati embellished the monument with two pictures of two figures each, six pictures of busts of soldiers, and three inscriptions with a cross and crown.


The memorial was located in what is now Torun's Theater Square, but unfortunately it was demolished in 1920 when the city was liberated from the Prussians and was returned to Polish control.

The structure shares a lot of stylistic elements that are similar to the Chamberlain Memorial of Birmingham from the same year.

Sources:
Barr, Sheldon.  Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club. 2008. 136.
Europeana
Wikipedia Pl
Wikipedia De

Friday, March 22, 2013

Teatro Tomas Terry, Cienfuegos

Located about 150 miles southeast of Havana, this luxury theater was built 1887-89 after a substantial donation from the Venezuela-born Irishman Thomas Terry, who made his fortune as a sugar baron.


The facade is decorated with Salviati mosaics from 1888 depicting "Terpsichore" or the Muse of Dance seated with her lyre, with mosaic masks of "Tragedy" and "Comedy" on either side.



 
 
The entire building including the mosaics was restored recently and the theater received the 2008 National Vanguard and National Property Preservation Award.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Cienfuegos City
Voyages en Images
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 118.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

All Saints' Church, Reading

Architect James Piers (J.P.) St. Aubyn designed this church that was built 1865-74.


The high altar

The mosaic reredos by Salviati installed in 1866 depicts The Last Supper.


Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 124.
A Church Near You Images
Wikipedia
Michael Ford on Wikimedia Commons
Ian A Wood's flickr Photostream 
Reading All Saints Brochure

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Mausoleum of the von Gans Family, Frankfurt

Built by industrialist and art collector Friedrich (Fritz) von Gans in 1909, this is the largest family mausoleum in the Central Frankfurt Cemetery. It was designed by Friedrich Christoph Hausmann based on the Tempietto found in the Church of S. Pietro in Montorio in Rome.


Salviati decorated the interior of the dome with a dark, mosaic night sky, including dozens of golden stars.



Sources:
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 136.
S. Ruehlow's flickr Photostream
Wikimedia Commons
Wikipedia von Gans
Wikipedia Hauptfriedhof

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Down St. Mary

This Medieval church was rebuilt 1878-80 by J.D. Gould and its chancel was enriched by G.E. Street.


The chancel contains reredos in alabaster decorated with Salviati mosaics from 1866. The central, square panel contains geometric and floral motifs, while the two quatrefoil side panels depict carved angels on a blue mosaic background.



A mosaic of Pelican in Her Piety under the Holy Grail is found on the south wall.


Sources:
Rex Harris's flickr Photostream
British Listed Buildings

Monday, March 18, 2013

St. Botolph without Bishopsgate

Designed by James Gould and built in 1729, this is the fourth church in this location.



The unusual altar reredos are by Salviati and depict the figures of St. John the Evangelist and Moses (earlier incorrectly identified as possibly Christ and the church's namesake) flanking a somewhat stylized tree of life in the middle.


Sources:
Parish and Ward Church of St. Botolph
Wikipedia
Simon_K's flickr Photostream
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 125.
M. Ellis, church administrator. August 1, 2018.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Church of the Intercession of Our Lady of Oreanda

Built in 1885 after plans by Alexey Andreyevich Avdeyev, this Georgian-Byzantine church was at one time attended by Anton Chekov.



The original Salviati mosaics were commissioned by H.I.H. The Grand Duke Constantin Romanov and covered 4,000 square feet. They were based on cartoons by Prof. Wassilieff, but unfortunately many of them - including an image of the Protection of the Virgin and nine icons - have not survived.

A very unique mosaic depiction of a teenage Christ can still be found in the dome, surrounded by eight angels, eight Apostles and four Evangelists.


Sources:
Yalta-Sevastopol Private Tour Guides
Rest Crimea
Yalta SBS
lights2008's flickr Photostream
Crimea Tour Service
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 132.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street

Architect Joseph John Scoles designed this Roman Catholic Church that was built 1844-49 and which is run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).


Henry Clutton designed the church's outer aisles and several chapels including the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament (also called the Sacred Heart Chapel) in 1860, which may be why his name is associated with Salviati's Venetian mosaics from around the same time that are located above A.W.N. Pugin's high altar.


Presented in 1875, the two mosaic panels depict the Annunciation and the Coronation of the Virgin, respectively.



Sources:
Wikipedia
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 125.
Wheatley, Henry Benjamin and Peter Cunningham. London: Past and Present. Vol II. London: John Murray, 1891. 31.
Fr. Lawrence Lew, OP's flirck Photostream
Evinson, Denis. Catholic Churches in London. Wiltshire: The Cromwell Press, 1998. 44.
Hibbert, Christopher, et. al. The London Encyclopaedia. 3rd ed. London: Macmillan, 2008. 170.
Brian Harrington Spier's flickr Photostream
Rex Harris' flickr Photostream

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Old Bank, Stratford-upon-Avon

Built for the Birmingham Banking Company in 1883, the Old Bank building was designed by Harris and Harris Architects.


The mosaic portrait of William Shakespeare by Salviati can be found above the main entry door.


The mosaic's design is based on Shakespeare's Monument in the city's Holy Trinity Church.


The original memorial bust that Shakespeare's wife commissioned after his death is located in the church where the author was both baptized and buried.


Sources:
Alan Murray-Rust at Geograph
The urban snapper's flickr Photostream
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 136.
Sculpture Portrait of William Shakespeare
The Historic Spine

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Church of the Holy Cross Palermo

Designed by William Barber and built 1872-75, this Anglican church has served the Protestant locals, as well as visitors to the Sicilian capital ever since.


The ceiling features the four Evangelists with Christ in the center, as well as four angels above the four doctors of the Western Church: Saints Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine and Gregory.


The apse decorations were all designed by Francis Cranmer Penrose and the mosaics were manufactured by Salviati.


The twelve trefoil niches contain the Apostles (St. Paul having replaced St. Simon), surrounding a resurrected Christ and five angels.


Sources:
Holy Cross Palermo
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 127.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin

The second largest parish church in England, this former Benedictine monastery was founded in 1092. G.G. Scott renovated parts of the building in the 19th century.


The east window of the Norman (or apsidal) Chapel in the south transept was walled up in 1887 and now contains a Salviati mosaic of Christ enthroned, holding a book in one hand and giving a blessing with the other.


The Norman Chapel circa 1900.


In 2012.


An anonymous donor funded the mosaic, which was installed in either 1893 or 1897.


Sources:
Wikipedia
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bell's Cathedrals: The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury, by H. J. L. J. Massé, 1906. 69.
Tailer Family's flickr Photostream
Wendy Redrobin's flickr Photostream
St. Mary the Virgin