Statues - Hither & Thither

Description

The exterior of the building is richly adorned with sculptures and coats-of-arms by Thomas Banks, Agnostino Carlini and Edward Smyth who carved a series of sculpted keystones symbolising the rivers of Ireland.

Main south facade, facing the river:

• 1. Relief on the main pediment: Friendly Union of Great Britain and Ireland with Neptune driving away Famine and Despair, sculpted by Edward Smyth after a design by Agostino Carlini.
  

• Above the pediment stand four statues representing:
  2. Mercury,
  3. Plenty, with a cornucopia.
  4. Industry, with a bee-hive.
  5. Neptune,

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  The statues of Plenty and Industry are by Edward Smyth, Mercury and Neptune by Agostino Carlini.

• 6. At the top of the dome stands a large figure of Commerce, with an anchor, by Edward Smyth.
  
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  On the north facade, at Beresford Place, are on the portico personifications of the four continents, by the sculptor Joseph Banks:

  7. Europe, with a cornucopia, a sword and a helmet.
  8. Asia, in a full dress and with an odd headgear.
  9. Africa, half nude woman with frizzy hair and a strange headgear.
  10. America, woman with feathers as headgear.

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Sculptors

• Joseph Banks, Irish sculptor.
  
• Agostino Carlini (1718? - 1790) Italian sculptor and painter, who was born in Genoa but settled in England (Wikipedia).
  
• Edward Smyth (Meath 1749 - 1812), Irish sculptor (Wikipedia).
  Walter Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913) (on-line).

Sources & Information

• Archiseek, 1791 - Custom House, Customhouse Quay, Dublin.

Tags

Locatie (N 53°20'55" - W 6°15'11") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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