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Notes
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This work shows the festivities surrounding the feast day of Saint Kevin, held annually on 3 June at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, where Kevin had founded a monastery in the sixth century. Though patrons (or patterns) were intended to have a devotional character, no such religious sentiment can be detected here. Instead, the scene is one of merriment and worldliness: dancing, drinking and the trading of goods. This particular patron was suppressed by Cardinal Cullen in 1862, as part of a move by the Catholic clergy to prohibit local festivals. Peacock made his reputation with crowd scenes like this and depictions of events such as Donnybrook and Palmerston Fairs. Peacock was clearly gifted, with a closely observed technique and a keen eye for detail.
Title
The Patron (The Festival of Saint Kevin at the Seven Churches, Glendalough)
Date
1813
Medium
oil on panel
Measurements
H 86.4 x W 137.8 cm
Accession number
BELUM.U120
Acquisition method
purchased, 1964
Work type
Painting