09.05.2014
Dean Stacey’s Portrait Unveiled at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
A portrait of the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd Victor Stacey, was unveiled this week and will hang in the drawing room of the Deanery at St Patrick’s Cathedral, St Patrick’s Close, Dublin 8.
The Cathedral has maintained a tradition of commissioning portraits of the incumbent deans since the 1700’s. The most famous commission is Bindon’s portrait of Swift which hangs in the dining room of the Deanery. The portrait of Dean Stacey was undertaken by Conor Walton.
Commenting at the unveiling Dean Stacey said: “I am pleased to be part of a tradition of commissioning and retaining portraits at St Patrick’s Cathedral. While the tradition has extended for more than three centuries, there are prints and engravings associated with deans from earlier times.
“At St Patrick’s, we are very conscious of our role and place in Irish history. Conservation is a big part of our role, so that we can preserve the building itself, and the many artefacts and fittings that make it what we are. Commissioning new works is also something which we feel is our duty, so that we leave behind works which allow people – in centuries to come – to reflect on.
“While St Patrick’s Cathederal houses works from artists and craftspeople which reflect on events from conflict to politics, the role of documenting the Cathedral deans is very much about recording the timeline of the Church and the people who served.
“Apart from acting as a historic document, the portraits highlight the work and skill of exemplary artists from throughout the centuries. I am very proud to be associated with the work of Conor Walton in this instance,” he said.
During the unveiling, Conor Walton said it was an honour for him to be chosen to paint this portrait. “I aimed to produce a work which would fit in with the beautiful Georgian setting of the Deanary, and the brilliant series of Deans’ portraits going back to the seventeenth century that hang there. I also sought, not just to capture a likeness of Dean Stacey, but to convey something of his character and a sense of his physical presence. To enable me to do this, Dean Stacey spent many hours standing beside the canvas while I painted him, and I would like to thank him for his patient collaboration in this project,” said Mr Walton.
Photo caption: Dean Victor Stacey is pictured with his portrait.