This panel, which is chased and repousse, depicts the Laestrygonians Episode in which Bloom and Nosey Flynn are sitting at the bar of Davy’s Byrnes Pub with Davy behind the bar serving. Bloom is having a glass of Burgundy with a gorgonzola sandwich. Aidan inserted in the pediment the Masonic Symbols and interlaced snakes below.
Height 75 cm
Width 75 cm
©Aidan Breen
©Aidan Breen
©Aidan Breen
©Aidan Breen
©Aidan Breen
Aidan Breen
- Silversmith
- Swords, Ireland
- Master Artisan
- Recommended by Design & Crafts Council Ireland
©Aidan Breen
A master of his trade
- • Aidan is inspired by his Irish heritage
- • He has a love of history and storytelling
- • His pieces evoke ancient metal work
Aidan Breen started an apprenticeship at the age of 14 years old. For the consequent seven years he worked with three different masters at M.H.Gill & Sons, on O’Connell Street, Dublin. His work follows in the footsteps of a long tradition of Irish metal work and draws inspiration from this rich heritage. His patterns and themes are unmistakably Irish, from abstract elements such as Celtic interlacing, to stories of saints crossing the seas. As a young trainee he would visit the museum to marvel at the ancient metal work, and cycle long distances to look at the details on craved stone crosses, building his visual language. His work is done with a meticulous eye for detail and a life time of skill building.
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: ©Aidan Breen
The Laestrygonians Episode
Photo: ©Aidan Breen
The Ulysses Tower
The Ulysses Tower was commissioned by The Goldsmiths Company of Dublin.The brief was to produce something Aidan had always wanted to make but never had an opportunity to. The piece is inspired by James Joyce's great novel Ulysses that is set in Dublin, in 1904. The tower was created in silver featuring Aidan’s chasing and repousse silversmithing skills. It is set in a bed of blooms and holds panels depicting his take on the novel.
Height 56 cm
Photo: ©Aidan Breen
The St. Brendan vase
This sterling silver chased and repousse vase shows the epic voyage of St. Brendan, the 6th century saint who sailed out into the North Atlantic with his brother monks without either chart or map to guide them.This part of the vase shows St. Brendan and the brethren being attacked by a huge fish.
Height 25.5 cm
Photo: ©Aidan Breen
Nausicaa Episode
The Nausicaa panel is chased and repousse. It depicts Gerty MacDowell and Bloom on the rocks of Sandymount Strand. In the background is the Star of the Sea catholic church where a temperance retreat is in progress and the sounds of hymns from the church are wafting down to the beach. Fireworks are lighting up the sky and a bat flies out of the church tower.
Height 75 cm
Width 75
Photo: ©Aidan Breen
The Oxen of the Sun panel
The Oxen of the Son panel depicts the episode of Ulysses set in the National Maternity Hospital, Holles St. Bloom. Stephen Deadalus met up here along with medics and other drinkers to discuss conception, contraception, and the dangers of childbirth for woman. The panel depicts Sheila as well as a mysterious sculpture.
Height 75 cm
Width 75 cm
You may also like
Organised by
Under the high patronage of
In partnership with
