DECEMBER 2006 » book review

Collaborative Effort

The Makers of Trinity Church in the City of Boston
Edited by James F. O'Gorman
University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst & Boston, MA; 2004
206 pp.; hardcover; 61 b&w illus., 16 color; $39.95
ISBN 1-55849-436-7

Reviewed by Martha McDonald

Published in association with Trinity Church in Boston, The Makers of Trinity Church grew out of a symposium held at the Boston Public Library on November 17, 2001, that was part of a year-long celebration of the 125th anniversary of the dedication of Trinity Church on February 9, 1877.

The book is edited by James F. O'Gorman, Grace Slack McNeil Professor of History of American Art at Wellesley College and author of numerous books on H.H. Richardson. In his preface, he sets the tone: "Architecture is not the expression of individual genius, despite the adoration given in our time to such magical names as Frank Lloyd Wright, Philip Johnson, and Frank Gehry."

A collection of 10 essays and an introduction written by leading scholars in the field, the book brings the process of building an historic church to life as it shows the collaboration among the various people involved over the years. It starts with the idea and inspiration of the rector, Phillips Brooks, and goes through the remodeling of the chancel in the 1937 by Charles D. Maginnis, of Maginnis & Walsh. The recent restoration by Goody Clancy is also mentioned. (See Traditional Building, December, 2005, page 16.)

While the two most famous artists involved in the project, architect H.H. Richardson and decorator John La Farge, are covered in separate chapters by different authors, the book takes us deeper into the subject by including individual chapters on others involved in Trinity Church. These include Robert Treat Paine, the chairman of the building committee, and the builder Orlando Whitney Norcross. But it doesn't stop there. Other chapters delve into subjects not covered so often: the furnishings, the women artists who contributed to the project (stained glass designers Sarah Wyman Whitman and Margaret Redmond), and the author Henry Adams. His novel, Esther, references the red walls and features a character similar to Phillips Brooks, although the church is not specifically named. The final chapter, "Chancel Remodeling: Charles D. Maginnis (Maginnis & Walsh)" discusses the remodeling of the chancel in 1937.

In his introduction, "From the Parish to the World: The Architectural Context of Trinity Church," Keith N. Morgan notes that the style is Richardson's version of Romanesque, "modernized to match the spirit and the needs of the 1870s .... Here he took an architectural tradition of thick walls, small windows, and long naves and massaged it into a composition of generous volumes, punctuated by large openings, and restrained ornament both within and without. Indeed, it was in this commission that Richardson perfected a personal design manner that he further explored in his subsequent work and that deeply influenced the architecture of his generation."

This is followed by Theodore E. Stebbins, Jr.'s, "Trinity Church at 125." It summarizes the development of the idea for a new building, the design and building process and the changes that occurred over the years, while subsequent chapters focus on individuals, starting with Brooks. Stebbins also confirms the opinions expressed by the other contributors, that the design of Trinity Church was a process involving many people: "The Trinity we know today resulted from two years of engineering disputes, design debates, and high friction involving the architect, the rector, the contractor, and the building committee. Richardson's plans were redrawn, rejected, then redrawn again."

Interestingly, the architect is covered in chapter four, following the client, Brooks, and the chairman of the building committee, Robert Treat Paine. In this chapter on H. H. Richardson, Kathleen A. Curran details many of the changes that were made as the design developed over the years. Perhaps the most significant of these was the tower. This started out a "tall ungainly tower and octagonal lantern" in the drawings that Richardson submitted for the competition in 1872, and evolved over time. When the building committee and the engineer, Ernest Bowditch, expressed concern about the weight of the tower in 1874, the design was once again changed, this time to a square tower. The author suggests that Brooks may have influenced this decision, with his preference for square towers without spires.

The chapter on the builder, Norcross, by James F. O'Gorman, provides insight into the man as well as the project. O'Gorman described him as self taught, a practical man, and "a perfect balance to the artistic Richardson." His firm lasted for 60 years and he built the majority of Richardson's buildings. As the first builder to offer a full-service construction service, Norcross created the general contracting business. Like Richardson, he favored load-bearing masonry construction. He was a "master of time-honored, load-bearing masonry construction ... but he was not one to embrace technologically cutting-edge projects with structural steel frames and curtain walls."

The discussion of La Farge's contributions covers a number of years and highlights his background and influences as well as his accomplishments. Following the completion of the rich red murals by La Farge and his team in the tower in only four months in 1876-77, La Farge was disappointed when the church commissioned Henry Holiday of London to create stained-glass windows that were paid for by donors. La Farge had preferred muted grisaille windows to coordinate with his murals. He did ultimately create stained-glass windows for the church, incorporating new techniques that he developed. These included "Christ in Majesty," completed in 1883, "Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple," in 1888 and "The Resurrection," in 1902. The second one, "Presentation," was a memorial to Julia Appleton McKim, donated by her husband Charles Follen McKim, of McKim, Mead & White.

This is a scholarly, yet lively work, filled with details about the process and the people involved. In addition to the editor James F. O'Gorman, who also wrote the chapter on O.W. Norcross, contributors included Keith Bakker, David B. Chesebrough, Kathleen A. Curran, Erica E. Hirshler, Keith N. Morgan, Thomas M. Paine, Virginia Chieffo Raguin, Milda B. Richardson, Theodore E. Stebbins Jr. and Charles Vandersee. Brief biographies of each author appear at the end of the book, just before the useful index. Also useful are the extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter and the list of illustrations at the front of the book.

A center section features a number of color images and many black-and-white historical photographs and drawings appear in the chapters. The book measures 7x10 in. and is not a glossy coffee table book, but rather an interesting, historical description of the process of building a truly valuable architectural landmark. Anyone interested in American culture and history as well as those studying American architecture will find much to enjoy and savor in The Makers of Trinity Church. TB

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