Portrait of Harry Clarke by his wife Margaret Crilley Clarke
Harry Clarke was born in Dublin on St Patrick's Day on March 17th 1889.
Clarke was best known for his revolutionary work in stained glass and brilliance as an illustrator. His work in glass represented a departure in the medium and built on a sophisticated understanding of medieval iconography, influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and suffused by an appreciation for the Celtic Revival in the literary arts
Clarke was much in demand as an illustrator and his work seemed particularly suited for the works of Edgar Alan Poe. His illustrations for the authors "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" likely most approximate the writer's sinister stories.
Illustraion Detail from Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Towards the end of his life, Clarke was commissioned by the Irish Government to create a window as a gift to the United Nations in Geneva. The work depicted the writings of 15 Irish authors was rejected by a conservative Catholic dominated government troubled by erotic details depicted in some of the constituent panels.
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The Geneva window commission weighed on the artist during the closing stages of his life. While the government ultimately paid for the work, it was never installed. The artist’s wife Margaret Crilley Clarke purchased the work back from the government. Ultimately the masterpiece was acquired by The Wolfsonian in Miami Beach, Florida.
Geneva Window detail on display at The Wolfsonian
Clarke suffered from fragile health throughout his life and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1929. Seeking better health, he travelled to Switzerland where he spent time in at a Davos sanotorium. Realizing he was dying, he decided to return to Ireland but while travelling succumbed to the illness on January 6th, 1931 in Coire, Switzerland. He was just 41 years old
