Ludwig Oppenheimer

Ludwig Oppenheimer was a mosaic artist. He worked on several major projects in Ireland: The Dublin Museum (1890); Cobh Cathedral (1892); The exaltation of the Holy Cross, Charleville (1898); Sts Augustine and John, Thomas Street, Dublin (c.1899); Newry Cathedral (1904-1909); Redemptorist Church, Limerick (1927); Sts. Peter and Paul, Clonmel (??); St. Mary's, Nenagh (1910); the Honan Chapel, UCC Cork (c.1915); Clonakilty; Fermoy; Midleton; Kilmallock. Interestingly, George Ashlin was involved in all of the above mentioned projects (except the Honan Chapel and Dublin Museum) and seems consistently to have retained Ludwig Oppenheimer to carry out mosaic work.

Oppenheimer is also credited with the mosaics in St. Fintan's Church, in Taghmon, Co. Wexford,and St. Mary's Church, Listowel, Co. Kerry.

History

The firm was founded in 1865 and based at Blackburn Street, Old Trafford, Manchester (a mosque now uses the site) and operated until 1965. Its mosaics are known in Ireland, England, France and one in the United States. Bizarrely, for a Manchester based firm, most of its known work is in Ireland, so much remains to be learnt about its work in Britain.

Famous works

The magnificent mosaic floor in the Honan Chapel, Cork is by Ludwig Oppenheimer. He is also responsible for the Stations of the Cross in opus sectile. Oppenheimer's work in the Honan Chapel was never publicized for it was the only work carried out there by a non-Irish company. It has been suggested that he was commissioned to execute the mosaic floor and the Stations of the Cross through the influence of the Cork architect Thomas Newhenam Deane or of W. A. Scott who had worked on the Dublin Museum. As in Cobh Cathedral, Oppenheimer's mosaic work was complemented in the Honan Chapel by the brass and iron work of J&G McGloughlin of Dublin.

He is also credited with the magnificent mosaics in the National Museum of Ireland –Archaeology and History. The floors are decorated with scenes from classical mythology and allegory, and are worth a visit to the museum in themselves

Oppenheimer is also credited with the design of the Clonard Redemptorist Church, Falls Rd., Belfast. This church, also known as the Church of the Holy Redeemer, occupies a dramatic site on one wing of a three-sided courtyard. It is linked by a tower to the red brick and sandstone monastery extension. There is a large rose window in the west façade.

Clonard was designed in early French Gothic style by Ludwig Oppenheimer and built in 1897 by the Naughton brothers of Randalstown. It is home to the Redemptorists, who were founded in Italy in 1732 and contains mosaics from Gabriel Loire of Chartres. The Monastery was the scene of the first contacts that started the Northern Ireland peace process in the early 1990s.

ee also

*Honan Chapel, University College Cork, Ireland.
*Cobh Cathedral