The research..Finally

Its been a hairy couple weeks trying to get any research work done..especially without a reliable internet connection.

So let's go back to the beginning, shall we?

I flew into the Shannon airport and checked in to my accommodations in Limerick where I fought to stay awake until a reasonable hour as to not mess up my sleeping schedule. It was hard. I couldn't sleep on the planes and the Boston airport which I was stuck in for 12 hours wasn't really designed for comfort. And so I found myself pushing 40 hours without sleep.

The next morning I hiked across Limerick to the Hunt Museum. It was a great little museum! The staff/volunteers were extremely friendly and helpful. One of their docents, Shea, helped me with photographing the Ballymoney brooch they had there on display. And then afterwards, since his tour hadn't shown up, would randomly pop out of nowhere to give me a mini synopsis of some artifact or the history of a certain piece as it related to the Hunt family.

I got loads of photos. More than anyone else who comes to photograph items there. Usually people come in, take a front shot, a back shot and call it good. I probably kept the poor guy in there for a good half hour while I got macro shots and moved the lamp around to highlight details and texture on the brooch.

The lighting was ideal, but I still got some good shots which really highlight the artist's hand on the metal. The main ring appears to have been cast and then the ends hammered out and then worked by hand. The marks are rough in many places as if done by either a lesser skilled craftsman or by someone newer to the trade. You can see in the image below how the edges and tops of the equal armed cross aren't even.
A good deal of the red enameling is still present on one of the terminals and patches on the other.

Now part of the reason to view this particular brooch is that it shares a similar design to that of the Ballylongford brooch (the one I'm basing my research around). Like the Ballylongford brooch, this one has an equal-armed cross that makes the Chi-Rho symbol via a curl on the upper flair. The cross is also encased in an oblong ring bearing a cross point and reference to a longer stem arching outward away from the terminal ends.


There will be more on the comparison later...but for now, some other photos.

Reask was just a two minute walk from my accommodations near Ballyferriter on the Dingle peninsula. Great little place called Tig Bhrics. It was also convenient as the iconography on the stones match up with much of that on the brooches.

Kiln

Walls from on of the stone huts

One of many subtley carved crosses. Many are so work that you can only see them in the right lighting. Others only have a fragment remaining visible as the rest has been worn away. Sad to think that eventually all evidence of the carving will be gone.

A week and a couple mile hike, but wi-fi found!

From the Rock of Cashel. Not related to my research...but I was in town so I had to go.

Oh internet where for art thou?

Well, I finally found a place with wi-fi...except my laptop won't connect. So i'm using the proprietors' laptop which will only type in caps for some reason. an update is forthcoming..as soon as I can get my computer online.

Cheers

Preparation

This July I will be flying to Ireland as part of a Research Travel Award to conduct art historical research on a 6th-7th century brooch. What's great about this brooch is that it is a recent find and only one other person has published on it! This is a great opportunity for someone like me who is just starting out in field research. Plus this will also be the first time I've had an opportunity to travel. I have never been outside of country and I'm going to be going all by myself (yikes!).

 The reason this trip is important is because it gives me the chance to do on the ground research and see the actual historical artifacts in person rather than having to make due with a single frontal view photograph. I'll be coming at this from more than just a historical angle as well; I'm a Fine Arts major so I'll be looking at the craftsmanship, elements of design and taking some up close and personal photos of the brooch to show the artist's hand in its construction (the thickness, hatch marks from where the enamel used to be, texture and some macro shots of those minute Celtic details! Beyond the artistic viewpoint, this brooch is special; it has a unique design that speaks to it's origins. During the trip I will be investigating those origins and trying to solve the mystery of it's iconography.

 To get things started I've posted a Kickstarter project to help raise the last of the funds I need for the trip. Check it out here -> LINK
  The kickstarter project was launched last night, but I already have 2 backers. THANK YOU!!!

  Purpose of this blog: Though I will doing art historical research, I'm also a Fine Arts major which means that I will be taking photos like crazy. There are also a lot of my friends, family and faculty at school who are interested in how my project is going. A photo blog is a great way to keep everybody up to date on the project and show off the beautiful area I'm going to traveling in. And even though I haven't left yet, lets start this photo blog off right with some photos from near my home in Oregon...