The Great Bronze doors, which weigh 3 tons, were sculpted by Henry Wilson and cast by the F. Barbedienne Foundry in Paris, France. They were given in memory of Henry Fiske. Each door has two valves. Each is 18 feet tall and 6 feet wide and weighs 3 tons. These doors represent scenes from the Old Testament. Door Left Valve: 1) Adam & Eve in the Garden. 2) Angel of the Moon. 3) Temptation of Eve. 4) Adam names the Animals. 5) Sacrifice of Abel. 6) Building the Tower of Babel. 7) Building the Ark. 8) The Animals Enter the Ark. 9) The Dove Leaves the Ark. 10) Sacrifice of Isaac. 11) Jacob and the Angel. 12) Creation of Light. 13) Creation of the Waters. 14) Creation of the Land. 15) Creation of the Trees and Plants. Door Right Valve: 16) Temptation of Adam. 17) Angel of the Sun. 18) Expulsion. 19) Finding of Moses by Pharaoh's Daughter. 20) Moses before Pharaoh. 21) Moses and the Burning Bush. 22) Moses and the Brazen Serpent. 23) The Golden Calf. 24) Moses Strikes Water from the Rock. 25) Balaam and the Ass. 26) The Grapes from the Promised Land. 27) Creation of the Sun Moon and Stars. 28) Creation of the Birds and Fish. 29) Creation of the Animals. 30) Creation of Man.
Henry Wilson (b. 1864 Liverpool, England d. 1934) was a leading figure in the British Arts & Crafts movement. He studied Art at Westminster School and the Royal College of Art. Wilson was trained as an architect. At various times he assisted John Oldrid Scott, John Belcher and John D. Sedding. After 1895, he devoted himself to church decoration schemes, metalwork, jewelry, lecturing and writing. He was associated with the circle of William Richard Lethaby in the Liverpool Cathedral Scheme of 1902.Wilson was Master of the Art Workers Guild and President of the Arts and Crafts Society. His textbook 'Silver work & Jewelry' was published in 1903. The following was written of him 'Henry Wilson's originality stemmed from his ability to combine the strictest disciplines of his craft with a multitudinous variety of influences, resulting in some of the most daringly individual jewels of the period'. He designed and sculpted the Great Bronze Doors for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC. F. Barbedienne Foundry (19 & 20th centuries) was started in Paris in 1838 by Achille Collas and Ferdinand Barbedienne (b. 1810 Saint-Martin-de-Fresnay, France d. Paris, France 1892). Collas invented a machine that could mechanically reduce statues. Initially the foundry produced bronze reductions of antique Greek & Roman sculptures, which were popular then. In 1843, they contracted to produce the works of Francois Rude. The 1848 revolution and financial collapse nearly put them out of business. Later, Barbedienne contracted work for the important Paris sculptors David D'Angers and Jean-Baptiste Clesinger. The foundry also made casts for Antoine Louis Barye.When Collas died, Barbedienne continued the foundry until his death. The business, located at 63 Rue de Lancry in Paris, employed up to 300 workers. The 1870 Franco-Prussian war stopped art production. The foundry made cannons instead. After the war, the foundry resumed casting art sculptures. In 1876, Barbedienne purchased 125 casting models from the estate of Antoine Louis Barye. He made a catalog of the works and successfully sold his casts. When Ferdinand Barbedienne died, Gustave Leblanc, a nephew, took over the foundry. He set up agencies in Germany, Britain, and the United States to market their production and to gain contracts (how the St. John the Divine Bronze doors were contracted). Leblanc also purchased models and production rights from sculptors, including Auguste Rodin, and the estates of sculptors, including Emmanuel Fremiet. The foundry continued under the stewardship of Leblanc until 1952.
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