Thaddeus was a fifteenth-century bishop of Cork who was honored in both
Ireland and Italy. He led a remarkable life - he was made bishop twice
but never actually served as such, and was beatified in 1895 - but is
now all but forgotten. In Searching for Thaddeus, art historian
Patricia Curtin-Kelly tells the tale of this remarkable man, and
discusses the many works of art - found mainly in churches across County
Cork and in Ivrea, Italy - that bear witness to the high esteem in which
he was held. The author draws on extensive research in Ireland, Italy
and the United States and examines the images of Thaddeus in the context
of the Arts & Crafts movement in Ireland and its equivalent in Italy,
the Stile Floreale.
Searching for Thaddeus features numerous photographs of the remarkable
artworks which celebrate "Blessed Thaddeus", including paintings,
stained-glass windows and reliquaries, and the churches in which they
can be seen. It is a highly readable book about a remarkable Corkman who
deserves to be much more widely known.