Michael Earley The Stained Glass of Earley Studios: 1864-1975

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Code 9781068502392

Description

Binding: Hardback

Date Published: 01 Nov 2026

Earley Studios was the biggest and longest established stained-glass studio on the island of Ireland, with a history spanning over a century. With the unique singular ambition to exclusively serve the requirements of Catholic patrons the studio contributed greatly to the dominant stained-glass aesthetic of Irish stained glass in the early decades in the twentieth century. The Stained Glass of Earley Studios: 1864-1975 fills an essential gap in our historical understanding with this special focus on devotional Irish stained glass.

This work provides a unique picture of Earley Studios, a family business which spread over four generations in Dublin, established during the period of significant expansion of the Catholic Church. Under the management of Thomas Earley, the studio became the largest stained-glass studio in Ireland. The business was expanded by his nephew John Bishop Earley and brother William, who became the main driving force behind the business. During this period the studios were enormously productive, with multiple commissions throughout Ireland and abroad in Britain, Canada, the United States and Australia.

The Earley brothers established a house style founded on representational figurative depictions of the lives of the saints which was heavily influenced by Renaissance Art and the Nazarene movement. They celebrated draughtsmanship and the use of high-quality antique pot metal blown glass while incorporating changes brought about by the Celtic Revival and the arts and crafts movement. Sadly changes in church architecture and a decrease in commissions for traditional stained glass combined with liturgical revisions brought about by the second Vatican Council in the 1960s led to a final closure in 1975.

The Stained Glass of Earley Studios is beautifully illustrated with over 200 original full-colour images. It is a wonderful source book for researchers in the world of art, religion and history, as well as to the general reader.

About the Author

Michael Earley was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Upon retirement he obtained a PhD at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) with a special focus on 'Devotion and Tradition in Stained Glass in Twentieth Century Ireland'. He thus became the curator and interpreter of his Earley family archives. His stained-glass publications have been in local county and church booklets, in blogs for 'Arts and Crafts Tours', and in the annual review Glass Ireland.

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