Francis Bindon
Encyclopedia
Francis Bindon was a popular architect and painter in 18th century Ireland. Bindon was highly regarded by his contemporaries and was commissioned to design buildings and paint portraits for some of Ireland's most prominent figures. Today, relatively little is known about the man, despite the number of paintings and buildings he has left as his legacy.
and is the only known portrait of Carolan to have survived. Other portraits include those of Archbishop Hugh Boulter
, Thomas Sheridan, Archbishop Charles Cobbe, Dean Patrick Delaney, and several of Jonathan Swift
.
Bindon went on to design mostly classically derived country houses such as Woodstock
, Co. Kilkenny, Drewstown, Co. Kildare and Newhall, Co. Clare. He also designed Johns Square in Limerick
, the Market House, Mountrath
and worked in collaboration with Richard Cassels
on the design of Russborough House
, Co. Wicklow (completing it after Cassels died in 1751). Russborough is arguably the most beautiful house in Ireland.
Deane Swift, cousin of Jonathan Swift
, described him as "the greatest painter and architect of his time in these kingdoms", a territory which would have included Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Admittedly, Swift was a close friend of Bindon's and may have been guilty of "amiable overstatement". Be that as it may, the simple elegance of Bindon’s art and architecture speaks eloquently enough for itself. Several of his portraits of leading members of 18th century society hang in the National Gallery, while a number of his elegant Palladian mansions are dotted throughout the Irish countryside.
c.1690 and died unmarried in 1765. Like many of his contemporaries Bindon was a ‘gentleman amateur’ whose privileged background allowed him to pursue a wide variety of interests.
Born in Clooney House to a wealthy land-owning family, Bindon was well positioned to establish contacts that would ultimately benefit his career. Both sides of the family had political clout; his father, David Bindon, was M.P. for Ennis. His mother, Dorothy Burton of Buncraggy House, Clarecastle
, came from a family that controlled the Ennis Parliamentary Borough for much of the 18th century.
Francis had four brothers and three sisters. His brothers Henry and Thomas studied at Trinity College Dublin. Henry was a barrister-at-law and Thomas became Dean of Limerick
. Two of his brothers, David (who was a writer on economic affairs) and Samuel, were members of Parliament for Ennis
in 1731, a position Francis himself would hold in later life.
Embarking on a ‘Grand Tour
’ of Europe some time in his twenties, Bindon is recorded as being at Padua
University on 28 October 1716 where he studied art and architecture. He also studied at Godfrey Kneller
’s Academy in London. Bindon seems to have lived most of his life in Dublin, although he derived much of his income from his estates in Clare and Limerick. In 1723 his father had assigned the family estate at Clooney to him and Bindon retained these lands and house for the remainder of his life. Bindon died on 2 June 1765 leaving his house in Abbey Street
, Dublin, and much of his possessions to his lifelong friend Francis Ryan. An obituary notice in Faulkner's Journal described him as "one of the best painters and architects this nation has ever produced”.
Clooney House was remodelled in the Italianate style in the mid 19th century. Today it comprises a large ruinous shell, having lain vacant since the 1920s. The former estate, now a private farm, also includes the ruins of two gate-lodges, late medieval towerhouse, numerous outbuildings and an overgrown walled garden.
Notable works
Bindon spent much of his life in Dublin where he established himself as a popular portrait painter. Perhaps his most famous portrait is that of Turlough Carolan, the blind harpist. The painting, only recently attributed to Bindon, hangs in the National Gallery of IrelandNational Gallery of Ireland
The National Gallery of Ireland houses the Irish national collection of Irish and European art. It is located in the centre of Dublin with one entrance on Merrion Square, beside Leinster House, and another on Clare Street. It was founded in 1854 and opened its doors ten years later...
and is the only known portrait of Carolan to have survived. Other portraits include those of Archbishop Hugh Boulter
Hugh Boulter
Hugh Boulter was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Primate of All Ireland, from 1724 until his death. He also served as the chaplain to George I from 1719.-Background and education:...
, Thomas Sheridan, Archbishop Charles Cobbe, Dean Patrick Delaney, and several of Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
.
Bindon went on to design mostly classically derived country houses such as Woodstock
Woodstock Estate
The Woodstock Estate is one mile outside the village of Inistioge in County Kilkenny, Ireland, on the west bank of the River Nore, which runs past it.-History:...
, Co. Kilkenny, Drewstown, Co. Kildare and Newhall, Co. Clare. He also designed Johns Square in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, the Market House, Mountrath
Mountrath
Mountrath is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010, the town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km from both cities.In 2006 it had a population of 1,435...
and worked in collaboration with Richard Cassels
Richard Cassels
Richard Cassels , who anglicised his name to Richard Castle, ranks with Edward Lovett Pearce as one of the greatest architects working in Ireland in the 18th century. Cassels was born in 1690 in Kassel, Germany. Although German, his family were of French origin, descended from the...
on the design of Russborough House
Russborough House
Russborough House is a stately house situated near the Blessington Lakes in County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Blessington and Ballymore Eustace and is reputed to be the longest house in Ireland, with a frontage measuring 210 m/700 ft...
, Co. Wicklow (completing it after Cassels died in 1751). Russborough is arguably the most beautiful house in Ireland.
Deane Swift, cousin of Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
, described him as "the greatest painter and architect of his time in these kingdoms", a territory which would have included Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Admittedly, Swift was a close friend of Bindon's and may have been guilty of "amiable overstatement". Be that as it may, the simple elegance of Bindon’s art and architecture speaks eloquently enough for itself. Several of his portraits of leading members of 18th century society hang in the National Gallery, while a number of his elegant Palladian mansions are dotted throughout the Irish countryside.
Life
The most thorough piece of research on Bindon to date was written by the Knight of Glin in 1967. However, this is more of a succinct artistic critique than a biography and contains tantalisingly few details of his private life. What we do know is that Bindon was born in Clooney, County ClareCounty Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
c.1690 and died unmarried in 1765. Like many of his contemporaries Bindon was a ‘gentleman amateur’ whose privileged background allowed him to pursue a wide variety of interests.
Born in Clooney House to a wealthy land-owning family, Bindon was well positioned to establish contacts that would ultimately benefit his career. Both sides of the family had political clout; his father, David Bindon, was M.P. for Ennis. His mother, Dorothy Burton of Buncraggy House, Clarecastle
Clarecastle
Clarecastle is a village located just south of Ennis, in County Clare, Ireland. Over the past ten years the village has a rapidly increasing population due to its close proximity to Ennis, Shannon and Limerick, and also less than an hour away from Galway city....
, came from a family that controlled the Ennis Parliamentary Borough for much of the 18th century.
Francis had four brothers and three sisters. His brothers Henry and Thomas studied at Trinity College Dublin. Henry was a barrister-at-law and Thomas became Dean of Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. Two of his brothers, David (who was a writer on economic affairs) and Samuel, were members of Parliament for Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
in 1731, a position Francis himself would hold in later life.
Embarking on a ‘Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
’ of Europe some time in his twenties, Bindon is recorded as being at Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
University on 28 October 1716 where he studied art and architecture. He also studied at Godfrey Kneller
Godfrey Kneller
Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and was court painter to British monarchs from Charles II to George I...
’s Academy in London. Bindon seems to have lived most of his life in Dublin, although he derived much of his income from his estates in Clare and Limerick. In 1723 his father had assigned the family estate at Clooney to him and Bindon retained these lands and house for the remainder of his life. Bindon died on 2 June 1765 leaving his house in Abbey Street
Abbey Street
Abbey Street is located on Dublin's Northside and is one of the principal shopping streets of Dublin, running from the Customs House in the east to Capel Street in the west...
, Dublin, and much of his possessions to his lifelong friend Francis Ryan. An obituary notice in Faulkner's Journal described him as "one of the best painters and architects this nation has ever produced”.
Clooney House was remodelled in the Italianate style in the mid 19th century. Today it comprises a large ruinous shell, having lain vacant since the 1920s. The former estate, now a private farm, also includes the ruins of two gate-lodges, late medieval towerhouse, numerous outbuildings and an overgrown walled garden.
Other sources
- Craig, M, 1982, The Architecture of Ireland, Batsford Press.
- Craig, M, 1976, Classic Irish Houses of the Middle Size, Ashfield Press, Dublin.
- Duggan, M, auctioneer, 1768, A Catalogue of the Libraries of Richard Terry, Francis Bindon (esquires), National Library Ireland.
- Griffin, D, et al., 1988, Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland, The Irish Architectural Archive and The Irish Georgian Society.
- McMinn, J, 2005, Images of devotion: Swift and portraits, in Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies, volume VIII, Irish Georgian Society.
- O’Connell, G, Francis Bindon: Portrait Painter and Architect.
External links
- Biographical account on Clare County Library website
- Description of Newhall House, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Description of Russborough House, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Description of Woodstock House, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Catalogue of portraits by Bindon