Skip to main content

Construction: C.63-2007

An image of Construction
View image details

Terms of use

The low-resolution images published on this Website are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY-NC-ND). For more details: Fitzwilliam Terms of Use

This licence does not include any images of works that are still in copyright. Artistic copyright extends from the life of the artist to 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the artist died.

Download this image

For further information on use of images or to license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who can discuss terms and fees.

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Calligrapher: Brown, Denis
Author: Byron, Catherine

Entities

Categories

Description

Layers of rectangular pieces of glass, each engraved with a diamond-tipped burr. Three-dimensional layered construction, engraved on both sides of the pieces of glass with the poem, Liadain and Cuirithir by Catherine Byron, in a triangular formation surrounding a black-edged purple triangle (wood?) covered with black and gold calligraphy, with over it a black truncated triangle with gold calligraphy.The glass is encased in a rectangular wooden frame stained very dark brown.

Legal notes

Given by Sue Cavendish

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2007-11-19) by Cavendish, Sue

Dating

20th Century, Late
Production date: AD 1998 : dated

Components of the work

Frame composed of wood stain ( dark brown) wood Depth 6.1 cm Height 30 cm Width 21.6 cm
Form composed of glass ( sheets, probably six)
Calligraphy

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: cream paper A 4 sheet, the left column is printed in italics; there are spaces between the 'verses' of the poem

  • Text: This work features a poem by Catherine Byron, written after she had seen an earlier glass piece by Denis Brown. It is part of a continuing collaboration between the two artists. The complete text is reproduced here.’ New paragraph. ‘Note: The ninth century Irish text Liadain and Cuirithir tells of the love of Liadain, a poet from Munster, and Cuirithir, a poet from Connaught.’ Right column: Liadain and Cuirithir/I/It is/falling slowly/through glass/feeling each chill/mineral slide/slice in/ keeping the cut/edges close/ no blood/It is the last/gasp, the clamping on ivory shucks/of air / It is/drawing the tackle tight/on the flung seine/of breathing / II / For us there are only words:/script on a scrap, or the sound/of the other listening,the voice and the ear in antiphon./ Or shall it be touch, that lichens/each of us over in gold?’/Poem, copyright 1997 Catherine Byron/Art, copyright 1998 Denis Brown’. At bottom right, in pencil ‘CALLIGRAPHY/BROWN/2’
  • Location: On the back
  • Method of creation: Printed in black in two columns with ink and pencil addition
  • Type: Label
  • Text: Denis Brown
  • Location: At top of cream label
  • Method of creation: Hand-written in black
  • Type: Signature

Inscription present: followed by a flourish

  • Text: Denis Brown 98
  • Location: At bottom left of cream label
  • Method of creation: Hand-written in black
  • Type: Signature

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.63-2007
Primary reference Number: 165562

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 15 July 2020

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Construction" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/165562 Accessed: 2025-12-06 04:47:50

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/165562 |title=Construction |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 04:47:50|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-165562

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/msspb/msspb5/CAL_63_2007_.jpg"
        alt="Construction"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Construction</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...

University of Cambridge Museums logo
Cambridge City Council logo
Arts Council England Logo
Research England logo