A mural above the drawing room chimney piece of Mount Ievers Court, County Clare showing the house and its surrounding parkland. Mount Ievers was built between 1733 and 1737 for Henry Ievers to the design of John Rothery who seems to have been a local architect and who died before the building’s completion. Depicting the north facade of the house, the mural is usually considered to have been painted not long after work finished and to be an accurate record of Mount Ievers. Yet a quick look at images of the building then and now shows one crucial difference. In the picture, the entrance is shown as accessed via a horseshoe staircase, whereas today, as can be seen below, a double-flight of stone steps runs directly up to the door. So did the painting show what was intended but not executed, or what was constructed but subsequently altered?
(For more on Mount Ievers, see A Place of Magic, December 16th 2013).
Very interesting. These topographical paintings are worthy of a study in their own right. It is often believed that the topographical painting of Stradbally Co Laois was also to show what was intended.
Thank you Mairtin, actually quite a bit of work has been done and published on the subject of Ireland’s topographical paintings, beginning with the Malins/Glin book on lost demesnes…
Dear Robert, thank you so much for that reference of which i was entirely unaware. I will look it up immediately and look forward to reading it! Have you more references ?