The Magic Glasses
Artist
Harry Clarke
(1889 - 1931)
Datec. 1926
MediumWatercolour on paper
Dimensions30.5 x 38.1 cm
ClassificationsWatercolours
Credit LineCollection & image © Hugh Lane Gallery.
Purchased, 2006.
Object number2000
DescriptionThis watercolour is preparatory work for Clarke's stained glass masterpiece The Geneva Window, 1929, originally commissioned by the Irish Government to represent Ireland at the International Labour organisation in Geneva. The window unfortunately was never installed in its intended destination because of official disapproval at Clarke's depiction of some of the figures. The Geneva Window (Collection: Wolfsonian Foundation, Miami) consists of panels illustrating scenes from 20th century literature by Irish writers, playwrights and poets. This watercolour is of one of the panels, illustrating extracts by Irish writers 1900-1930, of Harry Clarke's masterpiece, The Geneva Window.
"The Magic Glasses" - George Fitzmaurice
It's the pleasure and
diversion of the world
you'll hear and see in
them magic glasses.
The Magic Glasses by George Fitzmaurice (first produced at the Abbey Theatre in 1913, published in 1914). Jaymony Shanahan, wearing rainbow-coloured clothes, repeates teh words of "the brown woman" from whom he has purchased a set of nine magic glasses to his father, Padden, his mother Maineen and the suspicious Mr. Quille. Already bewitched, he answers Quille's question, "What's in the three red glasses?" with "Women. Full of the purtiest women was ever seen on the globe. It's myself got very fond of one of them, and maybe of two. and in the glass I could see myself and the one I was doting on..."
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