Month: July 2020

A Model Cathedral

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date July 30, 2020

The Cathedral Model — Cathedral Model 1900

Maybe you don’t read blueprints very well. Maybe two dimensional perspective sketches aren’t quite good enough. Well how about a very large scale model of the Cathedral that you can walk inside? Oh yes, now you see it. That is what Heins and La Farge created so that there was no mistaking what their design would look like.

From the December 1900 issue of Carpentry and Building Journal, comes this article. The finished model was displayed in the Leake & Watts building lobby on the Grounds.

“We understand that arrangements have been made for a public exhibition this winter of a complete model of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, now in progress of erection on Cathedral Heights, New York City. The model will be of plaster supported on wood and iron frame work, with sheets of matting for the purpose of keeping the walls firm. The model will be about 50 feet by 25 feet in plan and 35 feet high. It is said that there will be room for 100 or more people to walk inside, and that the architects, Heins and LaFarge, have worked upon this model for nearly two years. The model will be exhibited on the site of the cathedral, and probably small fee will be charged.”

This view is of the interior of the model. It is looking towards the Altar past the Choir area from the future Crossing. The work is highly detailed inside and out.

Carpentry and Building Journal, December 1900
All Photos – Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. 1900. Manhattan: Amsterdam Avenue – Cathedral Parkway

Divine Stone

The First Stone Shed

For reference, the Belmont Chapel, later named the Chapel of St. Saviour, began construction at the eastern end of the Cathedral around 1901 (left side of photo). 1899 saw the completion of the great eastern arch (right side of photo). The massive chancel columns were in place at the end of 1904 (center of photo). The picture above shows the choir walls beginning to go up. Cut stone production was in full swing at this time in the first stone shed.

Stone Shed - undated — Cutters and Carvers in the early stone shed

The massive columns defining the Chancel had to be up before the construction of the walls could begin. Once in place, at end of 1904 the walls of the Choir began to go up. The substructure of the walls was granite with the interior facing specified as Frontenac Limestone.

Beginning in 1901, the cutters and carvers created the stone that would decorate the interior of the choir, chancel, including the capitals for those massive columns and for work to continue to finish the first apsidal chapel, the Belmont Chapel. We don’t know the names of these cutters and carvers, nor the masons who set the stones. Their work and the beauty and craftsmanship is there for all to see.

Masons setting stone in choir — Masons setting stone in interior of choir

Limestone veneer going up on interior columns of granite substrate — Masons setting stone in interior of choir

The Sculptors Moved In

Slowly the carvers and sculptors took over the stone shed. They would create the statuary inside and outside the Cathedral. The photo below shows the models for the statues of the apostles. The final placement, high up on the outside walls of the choir, would show off these statues to the world.

Sculptors also carved the reredos for the altar in the stone shed.

Stone Shed carving from 1909 — Partially carved statues for Reredos alongside models – 1909

Frontenac Limestone was selected by Heins and La Farge from hundreds of samples submitted. It was quarried in Goodhue County, Minnesota along the Mississippi River. It is pale yellow to light cream in color and was used in much of the interior of the Choir, Chancel and Apsidal Chapels. The quarry began production in the 1850’s aided by river travel and slowly ceased operation in the beginning of the 20th century when river commerce was overtaken by the railroads.

All Photos – Irma and Paul Milstein Division of the United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library
Minnesota Historical Society

Profiles in Stone

Memories of the Stoneyard

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date July 14, 2020

Dean Morton talking about Stoneyard Memories — Dean James Parks Morton looks at photographs during a video interview on Nov. 19, 2015 at the Interchurch Center in New York City. - Photo Robert F. Rodriguez

In perhaps his last interview, Dean James Parks Morton talks about his vision and passion in establishing the apprentice stoneyard program at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The program therefore revived building the Cathedral, which had been dormant since 1941. The Dean brought in English Masons skilled in traditional methods of stone cutting. As a result, they taught minority men and women the skills to build the Cathedral towers. Morton recounts his memories of the stoneyard with Cathedral Artist-in-Residence Robert F. Rodriguez at The Interchurch Center on November 19, 2015.

"Set in Stone" - Memories of the Stoneyard

TO View Video Click Here

Dean Morton reviewing photos of the stoneyard from 25 years ago — Dean James Parks Morton looks at photographs during a video inerview on Nov. 19, 2015 at the Interchurch Center in New York City. – Photo Robert F. Rodriguez

Robert F. Rodriguez

Robert is a New York based photojournalist, photo editor and videographer. He has a distinguished 40 year career in newspapers and magazines. Robert is a past president of the New York Press Photographers. He became an artist-in-residence at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine when he met Dean Morton and began documenting the stoneyard. In his own words…

My relationship with the Cathedral and the building program goes back to around 1980 when I met with Dean Morton about photographing the program through a photojournalist’s eyes. I felt this was such a unique project that needed to be properly and fully documented. The Dean gave me carte blanche to cover the program and for the next dozen years I became involved in the fabric not only of the stoneyard program but Cathedral life in general. I became immersed in the building project and learned about boasting patterns, Indiana limestone, crocketts, ashlars and was awed by the process and by the creativity of the crew. I became good friends with many of the stonecutters and carvers and have maintained relationships with many.
Dean Morton became a very important person in my life. He officiated over my wedding to Stephanie Azzarone and, wonderfully, helped us renew our vows after 25 years. (We like to say that Dean Morton gave us the “extended warranty.”) I live only a few blocks from the Cathedral and I often look at the tower and, like Dean Morton said in my video, perhaps one day soon it will continue.
– robert f. rodriguez

Robert and Jeep photographing carving — Artist-in-residence Robert F. Rodriguez and carver D’Ellis “Jeep” Kincannon photograph Jeep’s carving from different angles in October 1987.

Because he is normally behind the lens, this photo of Robert working in the stoneyard is a rare one. We are grateful to Robert for the video of Dean Morton reminiscing about his favorite stoneyard. Likewise we thank him for the many photos he shared with us.

Profiles in Stone

Mandela and the Cathedral

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date July 12, 2020

Manu Forchet carving Mandela sculpture — Emmanuel Fourchet Carving Mandela Stone Sculpture. - Photo Robert F. Rodriguez

Images in and on cathedrals have been used since medieval times to convey important stories. In the Middle Ages a significant percentage of the population was illiterate. Therefore art became necessary for teaching purposes. These traditions carry over to contemporary cathedrals. So it was that head carver Joseph Kincannon decided to honor Nelson Mandela with a carving. He assigned 24 year old Emmanuel Fourchet to carve the sculpture. A cornice on the southwest tower facing Harlem would be the destination. This linked Mandela and the Cathedral.

Mandela’s long 27 year imprisonment was coming to a close and he had gained international acclaim for his activism. He would later become the President of South Africa in 1994. The carving followed the Cathedral’s mission.

“The Cathedral was founded as ‘a center for intellectual light and leadership’. From the beginning, this has been a place for social and political activism, the exploration of ideas, and for the community in the widest sense. As times change, the conversations change.”
Cathedral St. John the Divine

Mandela carving with a dragon, symbol of apartheid — Mandela Carving with a Dragon, the Symbol of Apartheid.

Manu Fourchet was one of the first to come to the Cathedral in an exchange program with Les Compagnons du Devoir, the companions of duty. It is a French organization of craftsmen and artisans dating from the Middle Ages. Therefore it was an ancient apprentice program. He came as an accomplished banker mason with a great deal of letter cutting experience. His work shows that he was a natural carver. Mandela and the Cathedral carving was one of his first.

Emmanuel Fourchet Continues to Carve

Later, when Cathedral Stoneworks took on commercial work, he went to Pittsburgh and worked under Nicholas Fairplay. The project involved the intricate carvings for Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts. This was one of the first Cathedral Stoneworks ventures into commercial work whose profits would keep the Cathedral building. The project combined traditional hand carving, and computer aided technology. After three years, this project completed and Manu returned to Lyon, France where he is an important leader in the field of stone carving and restoration.

Emmanuel Fourchet's Gargoyle at St. Jean Cathedral in Lyon.

In 2010 a gargoyle at the Cathedral St. Jean-Baptiste in Lyon needed replacing. Sculptor Emmanuel Fourchet was given the task of designing and producing a suitable replacement. Fourchet continued an age-old tradition, modeling the head on his friend and longtime colleague Ahmed Benzizine (pictured with gargoyle). Benzizine was the foreman responsible for the renovation of the cathedral for the last three decades. Fourchet hoped to keep his tribute a secret, but it leaked out. Benzizine shaved off his moustache so that he would no longer resemble the new gargoyle. Unperturbed, Fourchet simply chiseled the stone moustache off.

Watch this site for a special edition next week – An Interview with James Parks Morton by Robert F. Rodriguez, Memories of the Stoneyard.

Cathedral Stone

The Cathedral Builders

Post author By Roger Murphy
Post date July 2, 2020

Cathedral Builders – Poem by John Ormond

They climbed the sketchy ladders towards God, with winch and pulley hoisted hewn rock into heaven, inhabited the sky with hammers,

defied gravity, deified stone, and came down to their suppers, and small beer,

Stonework at Cathedral — Stoneworkers at Cathedral. – Irma and Paul Milstein Division, The New York Public Library.

every night slept, lay with their smelly wives, quarreled and cuffed the children, lied, spat, sang, were happy, or unhappy, and every day took to the ladders again, impeded the rights of way of another summer’s swallows,

grew greyer, shakier, became less inclined to fix a neighbour’s roof of a fine evening,

Cathedral Builder — Irma and Paul Milstein Division, The New York Public Library.

saw naves sprout arches, clerestories soar, cursed the loud fancy glaziers for their luck, somehow escaped the plague, got rheumatism, decided it was time to give it up,

to leave the spire to others, stood in the crowd, well back from the vestments at the consecration,

Cornerstone ceremony for the nave — Cornerstone ceremony for the Nave. Irma and Paul Milstein Division, The New York Public Library.

envied the fat bishop his warm boots, cocked a squint eye aloft, and said,

“I bloody did that.”

Cathedral 1931 — Wurts Bros. 1931. – Museum of the City of New York

The Poet

John Ormond (1923-1990) was a Welsh poet and film-maker, born in Britain, at Dunvant, near Swansea. His view of art was one informed by his working-class background, the son of a skilled shoemaker. “Cathedral Builders” is not an exaltation of these grand consecrated structures, rather it is a celebration of the ordinary lives of the uncelebrated workers who commit to the actual work of building cathedrals. Ormond emphasizes the fact that great accomplishments are often the result of the collaborative effort of ordinary people.

National Library of Wales
Swansea University
Museum of the City of New York
Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library