Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Sculptor, for whom see Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969; copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055) and Theo Snoddy, Dictionary of Irish Artists: 20th Century (2nd edition, 2002), 271-274. John Hughes, who was born in Dublin in 1865, was the instructor in modelling at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art from 1894 until 1902, when he received the commission for the national monument to Queen Victoria. In order to carry out the commission with greater ease, he went to live in Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life.  After he had moved to France, he was also commissioned to design a monument to Gladstone for Dublin, but by the time the monument was completed  the Second World War had intervened and the political climate in Ireland had changed.   Dublin Corporation repudiated the work, which was eventually erected instead in Gladstone's birthplace, Hawarden, Flintshire.

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6 work entries listed in chronological order for HUGHES, JOHN [2]*


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Building: CO. TIPPERARY, TIPPERARY, CHARLES JOSEPH KICKHAM MONUMENT
Date: 1895/6-1898
Nature: Life-size seated bronze statue on granite pedestal, for Kickham Memorial Committee. Bronze founder: E. Gruet, Paris. Pedestal of Tullamore limestone by Mr Carroll, Birr. Unveiled 27 Nov 1898.
Refs: Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969), 177-199,404,  Pls. 31-39 (copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055);  Alan Denson, 'John Hughes RHA', Capuchin Annual (1975), 128;  S. Breathnach Lynch, 'John Hughes: the Italian connection', Irish Arts Review Yearbook 10 (1994), 195;  Paula Murphy, Nineteenth-Century Irish Sculpture: Native Genius Reaffirmed  (Yale University Press: New Haven & London, 2010), 215, Fig.294.

Building: CO. GALWAY, LOUGHREA, CATHEDRAL OF ST BRENDAN (RC)
Date: 1901-5
Nature: Statue of Virgin and Child in Lady Chapel; bas-drelief of Man of Sorrows over High Altar and tabernacle door.
Refs: Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969), 414-5, Pls. 89-92 (copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055);  Alan Denson, 'John Hughes, RHA', Capuchin Annual (1975), 126-137; S. Breathnach Lynch, 'John Hughes: the Italian connection', Irish Arts Review Yearbook 10 (1994), 198-99(9illus.);  Paula Murphy, Nineteenth-Century Irish Sculpture: Native Genius Reaffirmed  (Yale University Press: New Haven & London, 2010), 215-17(illus.).

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KILDARE STREET, LEINSTER HOUSE (ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY), QUEEN VICTORIA MEMORIAL
Date: 1903-1906
Nature: Bronze statue of Queen Victoria in front of Leinster House, on pedestal of Lunel marble with bronze figures representing War, Peace and Fame and. Also small stone figures of Science, Literature and Art.  Pedestal designed by Basile Couremenos. Bronze founder: J. Malesset, Paris. Contractors for erection: Vienne, Paris. Unveiled 15 Feb 1908. Removed, July 1948 and stored in grounds of Royal Hospital, Kilmainham; statue moved to Sydney,Australia, 1986; attendant figures at Dublin Castle and Royal Hospital Kilmainham; plinth in Bully's Acre, Royal Hospital (1998).
Refs: Building News 83, 28 Nov 1902, 779; Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969), 200-244,413, Pls.. 96-113 (copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055);  S. Breathnach Lynch, 'John Hughes: the Italian connection', Irish Arts Review 10 (1994), 195(illus.); Paula Murphy, 'The politics of the street monument', Irish Arts Review 10 (1994), 207(illus.);  Paula Murphy, Nineteenth-Century Irish Sculpture: Native Genius Reaffirmed  (Yale University Press: New Haven & London, 2010), 219,235,237-8,Figs.298-300,315-317.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, COLLEGE GREEN, TRINITY COLLEGE, PROVOST SALMON MONUMENT
Date: 1905-10
Nature: Statue in white Galway marble erected by subscription. Unveiled Jun 1911. (Originally in hall of engineering school.)
Refs: Buildng News 100, 16 Jun 1911, 840;  Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969), 417, Pls. 122-126 (copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055); S. Breathnach Lynch, 'John Hughes: the Italian connection', Irish Arts Review Yearbook 10 (1994), 195(illus.);  Paula Murphy, Nineteenth-Century Irish Sculpture: Native Genius Reaffirmed  (Yale University Press: New Haven & London, 2010), 215, Fig.295.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PHOENIX PARK, GLADSTONE MONUMENT (PROPOSED)
Date: 1910-1919
Nature: Memorial to be erected in People's Garden, Phoenix Park for Gladstone Memorial Trustees, with full-length statue of Gladstone and figures representing Erin, Classical Learning, Finance and Eloquence on plinth. Pedestal in Portland stone executed by Kirkpatrick Bros., Trafford Park, Manchester. Not completed until after World War II.  Repudiated by Dublin Corporation, 1924, and erected instead at Gladstone's birthplace, Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales in 1925.
Refs: Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969), 245-375,419, Pls. 140-154 (copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055);  Theo Snoddy, Dictionary of Irish Artists: 20th Century (2nd edition, 2002), 274;  illus. in Country Life 203, 29 Jul 2009, 46;  Paula Murphy, Nineteenth-Century Irish Sculpture: Native Genius Reaffirmed  (Yale University Press: New Haven & London, 2010), 217-219(illus.),234-5.

Building: CO. LAOIS, HEYWOOD
Date: 1913
Nature: Bronze fountain group of woman and young boy.  Bronze founder: RenĂ© Fulda, Paris..
Refs: Alan Denson, John Hughes, Sculptor 1865-1941 (Kendal, 1969), 417-8, Pls. 127-139  (copy in IAA, Acc. 2005/055);  S. Breathnach Lynch, 'John Hughes: the Italian connection', Irish Arts Review Yearbook 10 (1994), 195,200(illus.)

Author Title Date Details
Bhreathnach-lynch, Sighle 'John Hughes: the Italian connection' 1994 Irish Arts Review Yearbook, Vo. 10 (1994), 195-201.
Denson, Alan John Hughes: a documentary biography 1969 London, 1969.