Oliver Sheppard, Irish, 1865-1941
Title: 'In Mystery the Soul Abides'
Date: 1913
Medium: Marble
Dimensions:
62 x 33.5 x 28.5 cm
Signed: Oliver Sheppard
Credit Line: Purchased, 1942
Object Number: NGI.8091
DescriptionThe evocative title of this sculpture is derived from a line from the English poet Matthew Arnold’s work ‘Morality’ (1852):‘We cannot kindle when we will/ the fire which in the heart resides;/ the spirit bloweth and is still,/ in mystery our soul abides’. Rather than illustrating the poem, Sheppard’s meditative work was designed to convey poetic beauty, and the title was probably assigned retrospectively. A relatively small piece, the sculpture represents a virtuoso display of modelling and animation. The pose is novel and complex without being awkward, while the treatment of the body is convincing yet delicate. Gazing into space, deeply absorbed in thought, the figure bears an expression that is similarly arresting. Sheppard often depicted female forms emerging from roughly-hewn stone. Having trained in Dublin, London and Paris and worked in England, Sheppard settled in 1902 in Dublin, where he was for several decades Ireland’s most influential teacher of sculpture. From 1904 until his death, he served as professor of sculpture at the Royal Hibernian Academy. He is best-known for his The Death of Cuchulain, on display in the General Post Office in Dublin, but produced several other Celtic Revivalist sculptures, as well as historical monuments, formal portrait busts and portrait medallions.

March 2016
ProvenancePurchased, Private Collection, Dublin, 1942
Exhibition HistoryRoyal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, 1913

The 88th Exhibition, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, 1917

Paris, 1922

Royal Academy of Arts, London 1928

Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts, Glasgow, 1928

Exhibition of Modern Art, Walker Art Gallery, London, 1928

Exhibition of Irish Art, Aonach Tailteann, 1932

Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, 1942

Governors, Guardians, Artists, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 15 February 2014 - 11 May 2014
Label TextThe title of this sculpture is derived from a line in Matthew Arnold’s poem Morality (1852). A meditative work, it was designed to convey poetic beauty rather than to illustrate Arnold’s poem. Sheppard often depicted female forms emerging from roughly-hewn stone. He trained in Dublin and London before becoming Professor of Sculpture at the Royal Hibernian Academy. He worked in the New Sculpture tradition and his best known work is The Death of Cúchulainn (GPO, Dublin).

This website uses cookies

We use optional cookies to enhance your user experience and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services.

Details

About Cookies

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages. You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website. Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy. Please state your consent ID and date when you contact us regarding your consent.

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.

NameProviderPurposeExpiryType
JSESSIONIDeMuseumUser SessionSessionHTTP

Statistics Cookies

Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously.

NameProviderPurposeExpiryType
_gaGoogle Tag ManagerRegisters a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website.2 yearsJavaScript
_gidGoogle Tag ManagerRegisters a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website.1 dayJavaScript