Fig.1, Harry Clarke, 1930, “Geneva Window,” stained glass window, 71½” x 40,” The Wolfsonian–Florida International University, Miami Beach, Florida.

Another artist famous for his depictions of Irish mythology and folklore was Harry Clarke (1889-1931). Born in Dublin, he was a prominent figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement. He made his reputation as a book illustrator but is best remembered for his stained glass windows.

The Arts and Crafts movement triggered a resurgence of Irish art. Clarke designed fabrics and handkerchiefs, boxes and lanterns, but primarily he designed windows. Clarke designed and crafted more than a dozen windows for memorials, churches, and private commissions. These were often interpretations of poems or ballads based on Irish legends.¹

¹ Brigid Peppin, Fantasy, The Golden Age of Fantastic Illustration, Carter Nash Cameron Ltd., New York, New York, 1975, pages 21-22.