St. Vincent Kapelle Convent
Name/Title
"St. Vincent Kapelle Convent"Entry/Object ID
1880.010Description
This work is undated. The accession number was chosen at randon as a mid-point in Br. Cosmas's career in order to catalog the collection of architectural drawings. Br. Cosmas's obituary says this is the final work he was working on before he died. An altar design in Neo-Gothic style designed for the new Choir Chapel at Saint Vincent that was to be built from 1892-1899. The center altarpiece is a sculptural group of the "Adoration of the Magi," which is flanked by statues of Sts. Benedict and Boniface. All of the sculptures still exist (2013), however they are are mirror images to the drawing, and they have slight differences. The altar and reredos had several transformations documented by photographs throughout the years. In one of the earliest photographs there appear to be supports for the ceiling vaults of the chapel during construction. The reredos is the same basic shape as the drawing, but not all of the decoration on the reredos is shown. Another early photograph shows a completed version of the altar, competely gilded and polychromed on the sculptures. The reredos is the same as just described. Namely the reredos is basically the same as the drawing, but not all of the decoration is present. In a later photograph, when the altar is finished and in a completed choir chapel, the sculptures are in a totally different reredos, which is in a Byzantine/Classical style. The antipendium area of the altar has three panels that were appently to be carved with designs similar to 1857.001, however, the photograph indicate a completely different design was made. In the mid-1950s the reredos and sculptural group was removed from the altar. Also decorative work were removed from the front of the antependium area of the altar to make it simpler. The sculptures were only placed behind the altar during the Christmas season. This practice continue until the fire of 1963.Artwork Details
Medium
Paper, Ink with wash and pencilCollection
Archabbey-Catholic Altar Building StudioCataloged By
KimAcquisition
Accession
1880.010Source or Donor
ArtistAcquisition Method
Produced by StaffCredit Line
Made by Saint Vincent MonkMade/Created
Artist
Wolf, Br. Cosmas, O.S.B.Notes
Date: c. 1890-1894 Technique: DrawingEthnography
Culture/Tribe
German/American