Approaching the Altar: Art, Agency and Appreciation at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch A Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Art History and Theory at the University of Canterbury by Alison Ruth Flett University of Canterbury 2016 i Dedicated to the memory of the late Bishop Barry Jones, D.D., ninth Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (28.08.41 - 13.02.16), worthy successor of the first bishop, John Joseph Grimes, D.D., S.M. In thanks for his wise leadership after the earthquakes. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... viii Abstract ............................................................................................................................... x Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One ....................................................................................................................... 12 The predecessors of the cathedral altar: the Henley and Kimbell/Button altars in context .................................................................................. 12 Chapter Two ...................................................................................................................... 22 1900 - 1905: The Altar in the Mind of the Bishop and the Architect ........................... 22 Chapter Three .................................................................................................................... 36 Commissioning the Altar: 1906-1916 .......................................................................... 36 Chapter Four ...................................................................................................................... 49 Appreciating Cassioli’s oeuvre; his use of sources in specific contexts....................... 49 Chapter Five ...................................................................................................................... 68 Changing attitudes to the Cassioli altar: its removal and replacement by the Warren altar ....................................................................................................... 68 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 82 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 83 Figures ............................................................................................................................... 89 Appendix ......................................................................................................................... 124 iii List of Figures Figure 1 Interior of the pro-cathedral, late 1880s. CCDA. ........................................... 89 Figure 2 Sanctuary of the pro-cathedral post 1884. CCDA ........................................... 89 Figure 3 Finished drawing by Francis Petre, Architect, of the proposed cathedral. CCDA. ........................................................................................... 90 Figure 4 View of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament from the south-west. CCDA. ......................................................................................... 91 Figure 5 View of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament from the south-east. CCDA ........................................................................................... 91 Figure 6 Interior of the cathedal prior to opening in 1905. CCDA. .............................. 92 Figure 7 View of nave and sanctuary from the apse gallery at the opening of the cathedral, 12 February, 1905. CCDA. ................................... 92 Figure 8 Francis Petre: Drawing No. 2, showing architect’s original design for the cathedral. CCDA. .................................................................... 93 Figure 9 Francis Petre, finished drawing of design (unexecuted) for high altar and canopy for the cathedral. 1904. CCDA. ................................. 94 Figure 10 Luttrells’ plan and elevation of proposed high altar for cathedral. CCDA. ........................................................................................... 95 Figure 11 Luttrells’ plan and elevation of proposed high altar for the cathedral. CCDA. ........................................................................................... 96 Figure 12 Enlarged view of the proposed high altar by the Luttrells. CCDA. ............................................................................................................ 96 Figure 13 Giuseppe Cassioli, tomb of Rossini, 1902 (left) and Bernardo Rossellinom tomb of Leonardo Bruno, 1444-1450 (right), Santa Croce, Florence. Creative Commons.www.flickr.com/photos/prof_richaerd/8023285633 . ....................................................................................................................... 97 Figure 14 Giuseppe Cassioli, tomb of Rossini, Santa Croce, Florence, 1902. Creative Commons. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Tomb _Rossini_Florence.jpg ................................................................................... 98 iv Figure 15 Giuseppe Cassioli with the partially assembled high altar, Florence, 1915. CCDA. .................................................................................. 99 Figure 16 Photograph supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli to assist in altar assembly. 1915. CCDA. ............................................................................... 100 Figure 17 Photo supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli to assist in altar assembly, 1915. CCDA. ............................................................................... 100 Figure 18 Photo supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli to assist in altar assembly, 1915. CCDA. ............................................................................... 101 Figure 19 Photograph supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli: marble relief panel for cathedral altar reredos,1915. CCDA ........................................... 102 Figure 20 Photograph supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli of gilt-bronze support for the cathedral altar’s Eucharistic Throne, 1915. CCDA. .......................................................................................................... 103 Figure 21 Photograph supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli: gilt-bronze roundels for cathedral altar frontal, 1915. CCDA,...................................... 104 Figure 22 Photograph supplied by Giuseppe Cassioli: gilt-bronze relief panel for cathedral altar frontal, 1915. CCDA. ........................................... 104 Figure 23 Giuseppe Cassioli: high altar in Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch, 1916. CCDA. ...................................................... 105 Figure 24 Mosaic sanctuary floor: Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, 1916. CCDA. ................................................................................................ 105 Figure 25 Cassioli altar: Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, 1950s. CCDA ........................................................................................................... 106 Figure 26 Cathedral nave and sanctuary, 1950s. CCDA. ......................................... 106 Figure 27 Notre Dame des Missions nuns: “Spiritual Bouquet” presented to Bishop Brodie on the occasion of his silver jubilee, 1941. CCDA. ................................................................................... 107 Figure 28 Cassioli altar from the cathedral gallery, 1970. CCDA. ............................. 108 Figure 29 Cathedral sanctuary from the gallery, showing temporary wooden altar in front of Cassioli altar: wedding, early 1970s. CCDA. .......................................................................................................... 109 Figure 30 Warren and Mahoney: renovation plans showing placement of Cassioli altar, 1970. CCDA. .................................................................... 110 v Figure 31 Warren and Mahoney: plan showing existing placement of sanctuary fixtures and side chapels: 1970. CCDA. ..................................... 111 Figure 32 Warren and Mahoney: renovation plan showing placement of new altar, extended sides of sanctuary, and intended Blessed Sacrament Chapel, 1970. CCDA. ................................................................ 112 Figure 33 Warren and Mahoney: drawing of proposed alterations to sanctuary, with seating and altar by Miles Warren, 1974. CCDA. .......................................................................................................... 113 Figure 34 Finished drawing of proposed sanctuary alterations: pulpit, altar and seating in sanctuary by Miles Warren, n.d. .................................. 114 Figure 35 Cathedral sanctuary after removal of Cassioli altar, 1974. CCDA. .......................................................................................................... 115 Figure 36 Cathedral Sanctuary with new altar and seating by Miles Warren, post 1974. CCDA. .......................................................................... 116 Figure 37 Placement of Warren altar on mosaic floor of cathedral sanctuary, 1990s. CCDA. ............................................................................. 117 Figure 38 View of cathedral sanctuary showing Warren altar and seating, c.1990s. ..........................................................................................