|
St. Catherine of Genoa - Gem of the Boston Archdiocese By Milda B. Richardson |
|
A parish church that became a paradigm for the promulgation of the Italian Lombardian style in America
|
St. Catherine of Genoa on Spring Hill in Somerville, Massachusetts—designed by the Boston firm of Maginnis, Walsh and Sullivan over the period 1907-1920—is a seminal building in the development of early twentieth-century Roman Catholic church architecture in America. With its sand-grey brick and glazed white terra cotta exterior, St. Catherine became a paradigm for the promulgation of the Italian Lombardian style, which was advocated by Charles D. Maginnis (1867-1955) because of its association with Early Christian architecture, the flexibility of the style, and the design possibilities of using brick rather than more costly stone carving typical in Classical or Gothic buildings.
Often referred to as the “gem of the Boston archdiocese,” St. Catherine of Genoa owes its generously-funded commission to members of the O’Brien family, especially to Hugh O’Brien, the...
Want to read the whole article with accompanying images? You have two options:
- Charter member offer: Subscribe now for a one-time fee of $20 for access to all web content at dellachiesa.com, or
- One-day Free Pass: Sign up for a one-time 24-hour free pass for access to all web content at dellachiesa.com.
