Lot 158 , Irish Roman Catholic Interest. A 19th Century Italian illumination presented by Pope Pius IX to Ireland's first Cardinal, Paul Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin, to commemorate the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Co

Irish Roman Catholic Interest. A 19th Century Italian illumination presented by Pope Pius IX to Ireland's first Cardinal, Paul Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin, to commemorate the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, inscribed "Pius IX Pont Mar / Conceptionem Immaculatum / Beatissimae Virginis Maria / Definivit die 8th Dec 1854 / Atque / Hiberniam Sanctorum Insulam / Marimo Illustravit Honore / Paulo Cullen Archiepiscopo / Dublinensi Cum Principibus Sacri / Colleaii Cadinalum collocato / die 25 Junii 1866", with central depiction of the Annunciation, bordered by ornate scrollwork and cartouches decorated with armorials and named saints, parchment overall 70 x 49cm, housed within an ornate Florentine carved giltwood frame, overall 80cm wide, 116cm high,
£1,500-2,000
Paul Cardinal Cullen (29 April 1803 – 24 October 1878) was Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and previously of Armagh, and the first Irish cardinal. His Ultramontanism spearheaded the Romanisation of the Catholic Church in Ireland and ushered in the devotional revolution experienced in Ireland through the second half of the 19th century and much of the 20th century. A trained biblical theologian and scholar of ancient languages, Cullen crafted the formula for papal infallibility at the First Vatican Council.
Cullen paid frequent visits to Rome. He took part in the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1854 and with the 18th centenary of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul in 1867, when he stayed at the Irish College.

He attended all the sessions of Vatican I, taking an active part in its deliberations. Towards the close of the council, at the express wish of the Central Commission, he proposed a formula for the definition of papal infallibility. It was a matter of great delicacy, as promoters of the definition were split in various factions, some anxious to assign a wide range to the pope's decisions, and others would set forth in a somewhat indefinite way the papal prerogative.

He was the most important Irish political figure in the 30 years between Daniel O'Connell and Charles Stuart Parnell. In political matters, Cullen made it a rule to support every measure, whatever its provenance, conducive to the interests of his vision for the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. Desmond Bowen considers Cardinal Cullen "a cautious, suspicious, and usually shrewd product of the Roman school of diplomacy".

Cullen also started the practice of Irish priests wearing Roman collars and being called "Father" (instead of "Mister") by their parishioners.

Condition:
Parchment showing undulation throughout but otherwise looks to be in good fresh order, some tiny white light mould marks showing most notable on the dark blue behind the Virgin but probably also elsewhere, these look to be light white mould on the surface of the work which is under glass, main Florentine frame has suffered much rubbing over the years with losses of the original gilding, the top Irish harp motif is held on with blu-tac, presumably there were other motifs at the lower corners which are now missing, arms at the bottom of the frame are inscribed with his motto Ponit Animam Pro Amicis.

Sold for £18,000