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Bhí an t-ádh le Corca Dhuibhne gur bhuail Eleanor E. Yates an treo dhá bhliain déag ó shin agus gur thit sí i ngrá leis an Daingean agus leis an ndúiche. Tá spéis ar leith aici san ealaín chreidimh agus go deimhin is ‘artist for God, a thugann sí uirthi féin. Tá sí ag teacht gach bliain geall leis le dhá bhliain déag agus ag cur le saibhreas ealaíne an Daingin. An frescó seo an saothar is iontaí a rinne sí go dtí seo. Thóg sé timpeall ocht mí ar fad uirthi ag beartú, ag dearadh, ag pleanáil agus ag plástráil na trí gcótaí difriúla, ag péinteáil daichead giota lae, seachas tamall fada i Firenze ag foghlaim agus go deimhin ag múineadh níos mó ná ag foghlaim cuid den am. Ní raibh aon fhonn ar an Ollamh Vinciguerra glacadh léi mar dhalta mar gur cheap sé, is dóigh linn, go raibh sí róleochaileach chun
an obair throm dhuaisiúil a bhain le frescó a dhéanamh. Bhí sí ag glaoch lae i ndiaidh lae chun a stiúidió, ach é siúd ag rá lena fháilteoir ná raibh sé ar fáil. Chomhairlíos dí cuireadh a thabhairt dó chun cupán caifé an chéad lá; má dhiúltódh sé, cuireadh chun lóin a thabhairt dó an chéad uair eile; má dhiúltódh sé, cuireadh chun dinnéir a thabhairt dó an tríú turas. Is é a tharla ná gur ghlac sé leis an gcuireadh chun caifé, an chéad chireadh, rud ná raibh sí ag súil leis. Ní raibh sí muiníneach go leor as a cuid Iodáláise: ‘Tá deirfiúr liom sa chomharsanacht’ ar sí leis ‘agus tá Iodálais ar a toil aici; ar mhiste leat go n-iarrfainn uirthí teacht le go mbeadh comhrá níos tuisceanaí againn le chéile?’ Bhí sé lánsásta agus glacadh léi agus d’fhoghlaim sí le teagasc agus le cleachtadh agus mhúin beagán do dhalta eile a bhí sa chás ina raibh sí féin. Is beag frescó nua atá á phéinteáil anois toisc a n-eilíonn sé ar an ealaíontóir. Cothabháil agus leasaithe beaga is mó atá ar siúl i Firenze féin.
Tá an frescó suite go cuí i mbialann an chlochair a bhí agus bíonn sé ag tagairt go minic don láthair ina bhfuil sé agus do stair agus ealaín ársa Chorca Dhuibhne agus dá thírdhreach. Ealaín chasta é an frescó; bhí sé á chleachtadh go forleathan san Iodáil sa ré Rómhánach agus níos déanaí go háirithe sa tríú agus sa cheathrú haois déag. San ealaín seo baintear feidhm as pigmintí nádúrtha ó chlocha agus ó mhianraí measctha le huisce a phéinteáltar go tapa ar phlástar fliuch. Ní bhíonn ach cúpla uair a’ chloig ag an ealaíontóir sara gcruann an plástar ina charraig agus ní féidir cur leis an saothar. Sa Suipéar Deireanach seo níor tharla aon phéinteáil bhreise ná aon snasú. Is sampla dílis é den ‘buon frescó.’
Theastaigh ón ealaíontóir agus ón té a thug an coimisiún Suipéar Deireanach ar scála mór le radharcanna agus íomhánna a bhain le dúchas na háite a chur ar fáil. Na hAspail féin is fir iad a d’aimsigh an t-ealaíontóir ar shráideanna an Daingin. Luigh a súil ar timpeall is fiche fear leis na ceannaithe agus an iompar cuí agus d’iarr sí orthu a bheith ina gcuspaí. Bhíodar sásta agus d’éirigh léi grianghrafanna díobh a fháil, cuid acu in éadaí na linne úd. De réir mar a bhí an dearadh ag dul chun cinn toghadh na cuspaí agus an suíomh ina mbeidís. Ní raibh aon ghá le Iúdás; tá sé imithe amach san oíche; tá a chathaoir tite ar an talamh ach tá a mheon le feiscint sa bhfiach dubh sa sciathán deas agus dhá bhonn airgid na linne úd ina ghob aige. Is é an pointe stairiúil atá i gceist ná nuair a ghlac Íosa an t-arán agus a choisric é agus a bhí sé briste aige agus cuid den bhulóg á thairiscint aige do Eoin Broinne ar a chlé agus an chuid eile di ina dheasóg agus le roinnt ar Pheadar ar a dheis agus ar na hAspail eile. Tá súile Íosa ar an mbreathnaí cibé áit ina seasann sé.
Fíodh a bhfuil ar an mbord agus an cúlra ina chéile faoi mar a tharla do na hAspail. Na gloiní, an crúsca, agus na gréithre potadóireachta, is de dhéantús ceardaithe na háite iad, seachas Cailís Ardach. Mar an gcéanna leis an arán, na torthaí, agus an t-iasc, is ón áit iad. Tagraítear do go leor de na láithreacha seandálaíochta nó beannaithe i gCorca Dhuibhne sna sciatháin agus ar fud an bhaill—Cros Riasc, Dún Beag, Inis Tuaisceart, an Fáibhile Rua atá os cionn reilig na mban rialta, cros-shiombail an Oird, currach Bhréanainn ag tabhairt faoin Tír Tairngire. Cuireann na míreanna de fhuinneoga Harry Clarke i gcuimhne dúinn cá bhfuilimid. Dála na bhfuinneog sin in airde staighre bíonn rud éigin nua le tabhairt faoi deara ann gach uair a thugann tú turas machnamhach ar an frescó seo, an t-aon sampla de buon fresco, dar liom, in Éirinn. Is de bharr é a áiteamh ar Eileanóir atá an saothar sínithe agus dátaithe aici—Ella 2011.
Ba é an chéad rud a bhí le déanamh ná an seanphlástar go léir a scríobadh den fhalla. Ansin cuireadh an chéad chóta plastair nua ina áit, an trusilatium. Tá sé seo 2cm ar tiús, trí ceathrúna de ghaineamh agus ceathrú d’aol. Réitíodh na cartúin den dearadh go léir ag an bpointe seo. Ansin cuireadh an dara cóta plástair ar an bhfalla; tugtar an arricio ar sin; tá sin trian orlaigh ar tiús, agus an plástar féin dhá dtrian gainimh agus trian aoil. Ní mór an falla roimhis a bheith garbh stríoctha le go ngreamódh sé go daingean. Ní mór leis é a fhliuchadh go minic le ná tiocfadh scoilteanna ann. Ansin d’aistrigh sí na cartúin uile, an dearadh iomlán, go dtí an arricio. Tugtar an sinopa ar an radharc seo. Ligtear dó triomú agus socrú. Is é an chéad chóta eile plástair, an intonaco, nó an velo, a iompraíonn an pictiúr dáiríre. Tá sé 2-5 mm. ar tiús, leath gainimh leath aoil, nó leath aoil, ceathrú smúit marmair agus ceathrú gainimh. Ní mór an ghainimh seo a bheith an-mhín agus cinntítear sin lena criathrú. Roinn Ella an pictiúr iomlán ina 40 cuid lae. Phlástráil sí gach cuid lae agus phéinteáil sí é sna dathanna cuí. Shúigh an plástar na dathanna isteach de réir mar a thriomaigh sé agus a chruaigh. Níor lig sí éinne, fiú an coimisiúnaí, ina gaire ná ina gaobhar fad a bhí sin ar siúl aici. Bhí sé réidh aici, in iomláine a áille, le nochtadh ag an Aire Ealaíon, Jimmy Deenihan, 3 Iúil 2011.
The Fresco
This is a fresco of the Last Supper and it has been painted, appropriately, in the sisters’ dining room. The moment in history represented is when Jesus consecrates the bread and breaks it for distribution to the eleven apostles; Judas has left in a hurry and his chair has fallen on the floor. The raven with the two coins in his beak reminds us of him. Jesus is looking at the viewer wherever he may stand. The Apostle at the extreme right looking at the viewer is Doubting Thomas. The one on Jesus’ right is Peter and the one on his left is John, the beloved disciple. The models for the apostles were men whom the artist met on the streets of Dingle and were invited to act as models and were photographed by the artist. The one who best fitted a particular role as the artist surmised was chosen and usually agreed to act.
Fresco is a complicated art, widely used in Italy in Roman times and especially later during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In this art, pure ground pigments made from various rocks and minerals are mixed with water and rapidly painted onto a section of wet plaster. The arist has only a few hours before the plaster sets into stone and the work cannot be added to. In this Last Supper scene there was no glaze or over-painting following the drying of the plaster. So it is truly what is known as ‘buon fresco’
After the Italian Renaissance and up to the present newer painting such as oil, tempera, and eventually acrylic evolved. These painting media quickly became the standard because they allowed the artist to work freely, without the restriction of having to finish each section before the plaster had dried. Other technicalities beside the required velocity of the artist’s work were many. Once the wet plaster has set, which is less than one day, it cannot be painted on again. This limited working time turned many artists away from the medium and the art of fresco painting fell into obscurity and has become a lost art.
However there are a few features of the art of fresco that hold it as an esteemed technique. First and foremost, in its most elemental state, a fresco is composed of limestone and minerals, rather than organic and synthetic materials such as eggs, oil or plastics. These organic and synthetic materials eventually break down, which causes the painting to deteriorate. But a fresco can last thousands, rather than hundreds of years. Other than the great longevity of a fresco, it also has a different look from that of oil, tempera, or acrylic paintings. The viewer of a fresco is not distracted by a glare, whatever the viewpoint.
The only remnant left of the former convent refectory is the wooden cabinet beside the entrance door where dishes were passed to and from the kitchen. One hundred years before Leonardo da Vinci painted his Last Supper one could find the last Supper scene in monasteries and convents throughout Europe. Throughout the centuries it has remained a popular theme especially for refectories. The artist of this Last Supper, Eleanor E. Yates, is a native of Denver Colorado. She has been coming to Dingle for some twelve years and has done something artistic every year—renovated the Fatima shrine near the parish church one year, painted a Madonna and Child another year. This major work was commissioned by the Díseart under the direction of Mgr. Pádraig Ó Fiannachta. The intention was to create a large-scale Last Supper permeated with local images, scenes, and art forms. In fact, the Apostles themselves were all men that the artist found in various searches throughout Dingle town. About twenty such men with the right face and demeanor were spotted, approached and asked to model. They all kindly agreed and modelled, sometimes in full costume, for drawings and photographs. As the design progressed, the models were selected and their placements around the table began.
The items on the table as well as the background were pieced together in much the same way as the Apostles. The glasses, pitcher and ceramic vases were crafted by local artisans. Even the bread, fish, olives and wine were locally made. The only exception is the golden chalice which was modelled on Ireland’s famous Ardagh chalice.
Every etched symbol that one might find across the work, such as the Riasc stone and Dunbeg fort on the far left, or the crosses on the left column, references ancient Ireland through its archaeological sites on the Dingle peninsula. In the centre windows one will find part of the large copper beech that grows over the sisters’ cemetery, just outside. Yes, you can also see Brandon Bay and if you look very close, you can see St. Brendan in his boat heading off on his adventure to discover North America. The importance of permeating the fresco with a local flavour required to include a piece of the Harry Clarke stained glass windows from the chapel directly above. Details from three windows were chosen and set into the fictionalised architecture of the room. Painted on the two pillars below the table, you will see a unique three-tiered cross which you can see on top of the building in which you stand.
The first step in the work was hacking away all the old plaster from the wall. The first layer of plaster, the trusilatium, was then applied. This is 2cm thick and is three part sand and one part lime. The cartoons of the whole design were then prepared. The second layer of plaster, the arriccio 1/3 inch thick, two part sand and one part lime was next applied. The cartoons were then transferred to the wall which was rough and scored. The arriccio demands much wetting so that it does not dry too quickly or crack. The drawing of the design on to the arriccio layer is called the sinopa. At this stage the public see the design. The next layer of plaster is called the intonaco or velo. It is 2-5mm, one part sand one part lime, or, alternately, one part lime half part marble dust half part sand. This sand must be put through a sifter so that it is composed of small grains. This layer carries the actual painting which is soaked into the plaster as it dries and solidifies.