CHRIST MEETING HIS MOTHER

Brief description: Stained glass panel depicting a religious theme, possible 'Christ meets Veronica' (sixth Station of the Cross). Designed and made by Evie Hone, in about 1950.

Evie Hone is believed to have made some 150 small stained glass panels during her lifetime. Less than a quarter have survived. This rare panel is thought to be perhaps part of a projected series depicting the Stations of the Cross, mediations on the last days of Christ’s life. It was possible made about the time Hone was painting a set of Stations of the Cross for the Church of SS. Peter and Paul in Kiltullagh, Co. Galway, Ireland. These were exhibited in Dublin before being installed in 1947. The panel was once thought to depict 'Christ meeting his mother', the fourth Station of the Cross. It is remarkably different from Hone’s version at Kiltullagh and it more than likely a design made after the work of the French painter Georges Rouault (1871-1958) who Hone revered. Compositionally it appears to be a reworking of Rouault’s woodcut 'Christ under the veil of Veronica' made as part of his illustrations for André Suarès’s 'Passion' published in 1939. Hone has amended Rouault’s design slightly and may have intended the panel to represent 'Christ meets Veronica', the sixth Station of the Cross. The purpose of panels like these for Hone was for research, for working out ideas – they were never exhibited or sold. This panel once belonged to the English illustrator, wood-engraver and painter Elizabeth Rivers (1903-1964) who settled in Ireland and became close friends with Hone. The panel is brightly coloured using red, blue, yellow and green glass. The artist, Evie Hone (1894-1955) was a prominent Irish painter and stained glass artist who initially worked as a member of the An Túr Gloine (Tower of Glass) stained glass co-operative in Dublin before setting up her own studio at Marlay where she lived, just south-west of Dublin. Her faith deeply influenced her work and she converted to Roman Catholicism in 1939. A small black and white photo of the panel exists in Evie Hone’s archive and is one of her own photos and it mounted, suggesting it was especially of interest to her.

Object type: stained glass panel

Number of objects: 1

Production date: circa 1950

Production period: 20th century, mid

Designer: Evie Hone (1894 - 1955)

Manufacturer: Hone, Evie 1894=1955

Dimensions: Height: 554 mm, Width: 430 mm

Original location: Evie Hone's studio Ireland artist's studio Evie Hone's studio

Acquisition: gift 1989

Acquisition source: Richmond, Kay

Bibliographical references: Caron, David (ed.), Gazetter of Irish Stained Glass (2021), pp.225-226

Accession number: ELYGM:1989.3