#onthisday 1931 Death of Harry Clarke

On this day (6th January) in 1931 the death took place of Dublin-born stained glass artist and illustrator Harry Clarke, aged 41.  While considered one of Ireland’s greatest stained glass artists, he also illustrated a number of books for both children and adults in his characteristic, highly stylized manner. 

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Above (left): Death Notice, Irish Independent, Friday, 9th January, 1931. (right): Extract, Irish Independent, 8th January 1931 (click to view larger version)

In 1886 his father, Joshua Clarke,  founded the J. Clarke and Sons Glass Studios and a church furnishing business. The Glass Studios were based at 33 North Frederick Street. After his death in 1921, the businesses were taken over by Harry and his brother Walter. After Walter's death, the studio became the Harry Clarke Glass Studios, and continued to operate even after Harry's death, producing an estimated 1000 windows and finally closing in 1973. 

Right: J. Clarke and Sons, Glass Studios, Advertisement. Source: The Belvederian, 1922, Periodical Collection, Dublin City Library and Archive (click to view larger image)

Harry Clarke was born on 17th March, 1889, and lived at 48 North Circular Road with his wife (Margaret Crilley) and three children. He went to school in Belvedere College, and studied stained-glass at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. He is buried in Chur (or Coire) in Switzerland where he died.

Left: Perrault, Charles. The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault. Illustrated by Harry Clarke. London, G. Harrap and Company, 1922 (click to view larger image)

The collection of Perrault’s Fairy Tales is of particular interest because of its fine illustrations by Harry Clarke. In the Introduction to this volume, Thomas Bodkin commends the illustrations for the way they complement the spirit of the text and their "grace, delicacy, urbanity, tenderness and humour."

A book, 'Harry Clarke’s War: Illustrations for Ireland's Memorial Records, 1914-1918' by Marguerite Helmers (Rosebush Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh) was published by the Irish Academic Press in September 2015.

Did you know...?

An original stained glass artwork by Harry Clarke, which outraged the Irish Government in 1930, went on public display on the 11th March 2015 at Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. The work, seen on the left (click to view larger image), depicts a scene from Liam O’Flaherty's controversial novel 'Mr Gilhooley' and was created by Harry Clarke as a section of his Panel No. 6 for the Geneva Window. It was commissioned by the Irish Government for the League of Nations building in Geneva , the UN's forerunner, in the late 1920's. Clarke chose scenes of novels by contemporary Irish writers as his themes for the window.

The Geneva Window was never displayed at its intended home in the Labour Court in Geneva as it was deemed to be unsuitable by the Government of the day.  Instead it was installed in Government Buildings, Merrion Square. 

The original 'Mr Gilhooley' section is on permanent display at the Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. 

Did you also know...?

Harry and his brother Walter were both born on St Patrick's Day (17th March) - Walter in 1887 and Harry in 1889. Walter died on the 20th July, 1930, of pneumonia, and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.