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Saint Vincent Ferrer Church

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Tympanium of Saint Vincent Ferrer
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Tympanium of Saint Vincent Ferrer

SaintVincentFerrerCatholicchurchLeeLauriestatues

  • Saint Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church <br><br> The history of Saint Vincent Ferrer starts in 1867 when the Dominican Brothers and Fathers were charged with founding a parish in New York City. Once established, the Dominicans became popular among New York City Catholics. John Cardinal McCloskey, archbishop of New York and America’s first cardinal, asked the Dominican preachers to establish themselves permanently in the city by founding and serving a parish on the east side of Manhattan, marking the birth of Saint Vincent Ferrer. After borrowing $10,000, the Dominicans secured 18 lots of land on Lexington Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets. On this land, the six priests assigned to this new foundation oversaw the construction of a small chapel, and the first Mass was offered in September 1867. In November of that year, the cornerstone was laid for a more substantial gothic church that was finally dedicated in December 1879. This second church served the growing parish until 1914, when it was dismantled to make way for the present church. During the difficult years of the First World War, the friars and parishioners of St. Vincent’s worshipped in a temporary structure on East 67th Street while plans were finalized for the church we see and enjoy today according to the <a href="http://www.csvf.org/history.html">church website.</a> <br><br> The Dominicans were impressed with several New York churches including Saint Thomas Episcopal Church and the Cadet Chapel at West Point. When they decided to build a new church, the Dominicans turned to the architect of both churches, Bertram Goodhue, to work on the project. He was chosen just after he left Cram, Goodhue, and Ferguson to start his own firm. The church was named as one of the 50 most beautiful structures in the country, and Goodhue thought it was his best work. He designed the church at a time when Gothic Revival was at its highest point. He designed the church in the style of Fourteenth Century French Gothic with echoes of Norman Romanesque <br><br> The church is unique in several respects. First, a crucifixion scene was placed prominently on the façade of the entry of the church. Lee O. Lawrie, America’s greatest sculptor at that time, carved the sculpture. Placing a crucifix outside a church was a very rare feature in American churches and there are few examples to this day. Second, all windows were designed to compliment one another. The position of the reds and blues was arranged so that, in direct sunlight, the windows in dominant blues would interact beautifully with the opposite windows that showcase warm reds and golds. “Finally, in regard to the Stations of the Cross, the precedent established in the Dominican shrines of Spain was continued. Instead of statuary or carvings, large oil paintings were used to depict the scenes of Christ’s via dolorosa. Goodhue decided that these stations should look as if they were old art pieces painted in different countries at different times. One effect of this technique is the ever-changing color of Christ’s robe as one moves from station to station. Telford Paullin and his wife, Ethel, were chosen to create the paintings,” according to the church website. <br><br> Inside the church, the High Pulpit was installed in 1931. It is composed of quartered oak and formed and is in the 14th century Gothic style. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Vincent_Ferrer_%28New_York%29 ">Wikipedia,</a> Andy Warhol, a devout Byzantine Catholic attended Mass regularly at the church in the 1960s and 1970s. The pastor of the church at that time remembers Warhol sitting quietly in the back of the church, neither taking communion nor confession. <br><br> Former Treasury Secretary and financier William E. Simon made contributions to help purchase a Schantz pipe organ. <br><br> Former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro’s funeral was held at the church in March 2011. <br><br> <a href="http://www.csvf.org/architecture.html">The church website</a> has extremely detailed descriptions of the architectural features of the church including panel-by-panel descriptions of the beautiful stained glass windows by Charles Connick.
  • Saint Vincent Ferrer Church, The Crucifixion by Lee Lawrie <br><br> Over the front entrance of Saint Vincent Ferrer church is a striking stone carving (a masterpiece according to <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/mchale.asp">a Fordham University website on Medieval Architecture</a>) of the Crucifixion by Lee Lawrie (1877-1963). Architect Bertram Goodhue created an extremely new and unique design by placing the crucifixion statue outside the church, and there are few examples to this day. <br><br> Lawrie was one of the foremost architectural sculptors and a key figure in the American art scene preceding World War II, according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Lawrie ">Wikipedia. </a> He produced over 300 commissions in styles ranging from Modern Gothic, Beaux-Arts Classicism and finally into Moderne or Art Deco. He worked on details on the Nebraska State Capitol building in Lincoln, Nebraska and some of the architectural sculpture and, his most prominent work, the free-standing bronze Atlas (installed 1937) at New York City's Rockefeller Center. <br><br> Lawrie collaborated with architects Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Goodhue that brought him widespread acclaim as one of the greatest architectural sculptors in America. Lawrie continued to work with Goodhue after the breakup of the Cram, Goodhue firm in 1914. After Goodhue’s premature death in 1924, Lawrie continued to work with his successors. Lawrie's collaborations with Goodhue are arguably the most highly developed example of architectural sculpture in American architectural history according to Wikipedia. <br><br> After Goodhue's death, Lawrie went on to produce important and highly visible work under Raymond Hood at Rockefeller Center in New York City, which included the Atlas in collaboration with Rene Paul Chambellan. The statue is 45 feet tall with a 15-foot figure of Atlas supporting an armillary sphere. Above the entrance to 30 Rockeller Plaza is Lawrie’s Wisdom, an Art Deco piece and one of the most visible works in the complex. <br><br> Other Lawrie works include: <br><br> • Allegorical relief panels called Courage, Patriotism and Wisdom over the entry doors to United States Senate chamber • Nebraska State Capital Building • L.A. Public Library • Louisiana State Capital Building • Peace Memorial at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania • Statue of George Washington, National Cathedral, Washington, D.C • Harkness Memorial Tower at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut • National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the bronze doors of the John Adams Building at the Library of Congress Annex, both in Washington, D.C • Designed sculptures for the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Brittany, France executed by Jean Juge of Paris and the French sculptor, Augustine Beggi.
  • Saint Vincent Ferrer Church, The Crucifixion by Lee Lawrie <br><br> Over the front entrance of Saint Vincent Ferrer church is a striking stone carving (a masterpiece according to <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/mchale.asp">a Fordham University website on Medieval Architecture</a>) of the Crucifixion by Lee Lawrie (1877-1963). Architect Bertram Goodhue created an extremely new and unique design by placing the crucifixion statue outside the church, and there are few examples to this day. <br><br> Lawrie was one of the foremost architectural sculptors and a key figure in the American art scene preceding World War II, according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Lawrie ">Wikipedia. </a> He produced over 300 commissions in styles ranging from Modern Gothic, Beaux-Arts Classicism and finally into Moderne or Art Deco. He worked on details on the Nebraska State Capitol building in Lincoln, Nebraska and some of the architectural sculpture and, his most prominent work, the free-standing bronze Atlas (installed 1937) at New York City's Rockefeller Center. <br><br> Lawrie collaborated with architects Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Goodhue that brought him widespread acclaim as one of the greatest architectural sculptors in America. Lawrie continued to work with Goodhue after the breakup of the Cram, Goodhue firm in 1914. After Goodhue’s premature death in 1924, Lawrie continued to work with his successors. Lawrie's collaborations with Goodhue are arguably the most highly developed example of architectural sculpture in American architectural history according to Wikipedia. <br><br> After Goodhue's death, Lawrie went on to produce important and highly visible work under Raymond Hood at Rockefeller Center in New York City, which included the Atlas in collaboration with Rene Paul Chambellan. The statue is 45 feet tall with a 15-foot figure of Atlas supporting an armillary sphere. Above the entrance to 30 Rockeller Plaza is Lawrie’s Wisdom, an Art Deco piece and one of the most visible works in the complex. <br><br> Other Lawrie works include: <br><br> • Allegorical relief panels called Courage, Patriotism and Wisdom over the entry doors to United States Senate chamber • Nebraska State Capital Building • L.A. Public Library • Louisiana State Capital Building • Peace Memorial at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania • Statue of George Washington, National Cathedral, Washington, D.C • Harkness Memorial Tower at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut • National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the bronze doors of the John Adams Building at the Library of Congress Annex, both in Washington, D.C • Designed sculptures for the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Brittany, France executed by Jean Juge of Paris and the French sculptor, Augustine Beggi.
  • Tympanium of Saint Vincent Ferrer
  • Saint Vincent Ferrer Pipe Organ by Schantz Organ Company and Western Rose Window by Charles Connick <br><br> The pipe organs at the church were constructed by the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio. In all, the two organs consist of 86 ranks of pipes. The gallery organ was installed in 2002 and has 68 ranks of pipes over five divisions. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/22/arts/another-jewel-in-new-york-s-crown-of-organs.html">The New York Times </a> hailed it as another jewel in the crown of New York organs. <a href="http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/StVincentFerrer.html">NYCAGO</a> for more detail on the organ.
  • Great Western Window of Saint Raymond of Penafort by Charles Connick <br><br> The Great Western Window at Saint Vincent Ferrer is beautiful, dominated by deep shades of blue and purple. Charles Connick designed the window along with the other windows in the church. The center of the window is a depiction of Saint Raymond of Penafort (1175-1275). According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_of_Penyafort"> Wikipedia, </a> Raymond was a Catalan Dominican friar in the 13th-century, who compiled the Decretals of Gregory IX, a collection of canon laws that remained a major part of Church law until the 20th century. He is honored as a saint in the Catholic Church and is the patron saint of lawyers, especially canon lawyers. <br><br> He was educated in Barcelona and at the University of Bologna, where he received doctorates in both civil and canon law. From 1195 to 1210, he taught canon law. In 1210, he moved to Bologna, where he remained until 1222, including three years occupying the Chair of canon law at the university. He came to know the newly-founded Dominican Order there and entered it in 1216, at age 41. <br><br> Raymond was instrumental in the founding of the Mercedarian friars in 1218. <br><br> Raymond died at the age of 100 in Barcelona in 1275 and was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in the year 1601. He was buried in Barcelona. <br><br> From the <a href="http://www.csvf.org/Architecture-M.html">church website: </a> <br><br> “The dominant theme of the great Rose Window is “the whole company of heaven, and all the powers therein,” marshaled under the nine choirs of angels. In medieval angelology, there were nine orders of angels: Angels, Archangels, Powers, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Virtues, Cherubim, and Seraphim. Orders are grouped around figures of saintly and celebrated Dominicans who serve as the representatives on earth of the distinctive spiritual qualities symbolized by the various members of the angelic choir. <br><br> The Great Western Window was made by the master craftsman Charles Connick, who worked under the direction of Bertram Goodhue, the architect of the church. <br><br> St. Raymond of Penafort, the counsellor to the King of Aragon, surrounded by the Principalities, who are sent by God to protect earthly rulers.” <br><br> Charles Connick (1875-1945) produced the spectacular stained glass windows in the church. Connick was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. <br><br> Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • Saint Vincent Ferrer Saint Raymond of Penafort Stained Glass Window by Charles Connick <br><br> <a href="http://www.csvf.org/Architecture-N.html">The church website</a> provides substantial panel-by-panel detail on the windows in the church. This beautiful window caught my eye, the Raymond of Penafort window. At the top center is Saint Raymond of Penafort. From the church website: “St. Raymond of Penafort (1175-1275) holds his traditional symbols – a key and book. The key represents St. Raymond’s priestly power to judge and absolve sin, which he exercised in a particular way as Pope Gregory IX’s confessor and Grand Penitentiary. The books represents St. Raymond’s own work, the Decretals, in which he collected and codified in one place the disparate canons and laws of the Church. The Decretals remains one of the most influential works of canon law in the history of the Church.” <br><br> The figure at the top right is St. Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney, known popularly as the ‘Curé d’Ars’. He stands wearing the dark purple stole of the confessional with a penitent at his feet. <br><br> At the top left is Saint Peter Nolasco. “St. Peter Nolasco (1189-1256) was tutor to the Royal Court of Peter of Aragon. Because of his concern for Christians enslaved by the Moors, he devoted his life to the freeing the Christians and converting the Moors. St. Raymond of Penafort was also interested in this work of evangelization. St. Peter is portrayed here with the habit of the Mercedarians, the Order he founded. The badge of the Order can be seen on his chest. Around his neck are the broken chains of a ransomed Christian. A freed captive is kneeling at his feet.” <br><br> See the church website for much more detail. <br><br> Charles Connick (1875-1945) produced the spectacular stained glass windows in the church. Connick was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. <br><br> Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • The Great Western Rose Stained Glass Window by Charles Connick <br><br> <a href="http://www.csvf.org/Architecture-M.html">The church website</a> provides a very detailed description of the Great Western Rose Stained Glass Window by Charles Connick. I copied material from the website describing the individual panels. The first part starts at the left circle in the middle of the photo and goes from left to right. <br><br> At the bottom are the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary: <br><br> The Glorious Mysteries start on the left: 1) The Resurrection – Jesus conquers death by rising to a new and more glorious life. 2) The Ascension – Jesus ascends to the Father. 3) The Descent of the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit comes down upon the disciples and Mary at Pentecost. 4) The Assumption of Mary – The Mother of God is taken up, body and soul, to heaven. 5) The Coronation of Mary – Mary is given a share in Christ’s sovereignty over all things. <br><br> In the middle tier are the Sorrowful Mysteries, from left to right: 6) The Agony in the Garden – Jesus sweats blood as he prepares to accept his death on the cross. 7) The Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar – Jesus’ body is whipped and beaten. 8) The Crowning with Thorns – Jesus is cruelly mocked and humiliated by soldiers who crown him with thorns and bow before him. 9) The Carrying of the Cross – Jesus hauls the wood on which he will die to Calvary. 10) The Crucifixion – Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies for our sins. <br><br> On the bottom, from left to right, are the five Joyful Mysteries: <br><br> 11) The Annunciation – Mary humbly accepts the call delivered by the angel to be the mother of the Savior. 12) The Visitation – Mary is recognized as mother of the Savior by her cousin Elizabeth. 13) The Nativity – Jesus is born. 14) The Presentation of the Lord – Jesus is presented in the Temple and prophecies are made about the path of his life. 15) The Finding of Jesus in the Temple – The wisdom and knowledge of Jesus are manifested as he teaches the Temple elders. <br><br> Charles Connick (1875-1945) produced the spectacular stained glass windows in the church. Connick was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. <br><br> Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to the MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • Great Western Window of Saint Raymond of Penafort by Charles Connick <br><br> The Great Western Window at Saint Vincent Ferrer is beautiful, dominated by deep shades of blue. Charles Connick designed the window along with the other windows in the church. The lower center of the window is a depiction of Saint Dominic (1170-1221). According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dominic "> Wikipedia, </a> Saint Dominic was a Spanish priest and founder of the Dominican Order. Dominic is the patron saint of astronomers. <br><br> From the <a href="http://www.csvf.org/Architecture-M.html">church website: </a> <br><br> “The dominant theme of the great Rose Window is “the whole company of heaven, and all the powers therein,” marshaled under the nine choirs of angels. In medieval angelology, there were nine orders of angels: Angels, Archangels, Powers, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Virtues, Cherubim, and Seraphim. Orders are grouped around figures of saintly and celebrated Dominicans who serve as the representatives on earth of the distinctive spiritual qualities symbolized by the various members of the angelic choir. <br><br> The Great Western Window was made by the master craftsman Charles Connick, who worked under the direction of Bertram Goodhue, the architect of the church. St. Dominic, surrounded by the Seraphim, whose name in Hebrew means ‘the burning ones.’ The Seraphim burn mostly brightly as those angels closest to God. A dream of his mother, Bl. Jane of Aza, foretold that Dominic would ignite the world on fire with his preaching.” <br><br> Charles Connick (1875-1945) produced the spectacular stained glass windows in the church. Connick was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. <br><br> Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • Saint Vincent Ferrer Saint Rose of Lima Stained Glass Window by Charles Connick <br><br> <a href="http://www.csvf.org/Architecture-S.html">The church website</a> provides substantial panel-by-panel detail on the windows in the church. This beautiful window caught my eye, the Saint Rose of Lima window. At the upper center is Rose of Lima. From the church website: “Rose of Lima is portrayed attired in the habit of the Third Order of St. Dominic. She carries a crucifix and a lily, and a padlocked chain sits around her waist. She wore it as a penance. At her mother’s request, her confessor forbade her to continue this practice. Rose then made a girdle of the chain, drew it around her waist and fastened it with a lock. She threw away the key because she was afraid she would be tempted to remove the chain. Above her is the Christ Child surrounded by roses. A devil stands at her feet.” The figure at the upper right is Blessed Imelda Lambertine. From the website: “Bl. Imelda Lambertini is the patroness of First Communicants. She wears the veil of the Second Order and points to the symbol of the Blessed Sacrament in her heart. At her feet is a symbol of Calvary, which she erected in a corner of her garden and surrounded with flowers.” At the upper left is Blessed Jane of Portugal. She stands “…wearing the veil of the Second Order. At her feet are the Arms of Portugal with five small shields.” <br><br> Charles Connick (1875-1945) produced the spectacular stained glass windows in the church. Connick was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. <br><br> Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
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