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{{more footnotes needed|date=July 2020}}
⚫ '''John Radecki''' (also known as Jan Radecki) (1865 - 1955) was a master ] artist working in ], considered to be the finest such artist of his time.
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}
⚫ '''John Radecki''' (also known as Johann and Jan Radecki) (2 August 1865{{spaced ndash}}10 May 1955) was a master ] artist working in ], considered to be the finest such artist of his time.


Born 2 August 1865 at ], ], son of Paweł Radecki, coalminer, and his wife Viktoria, née Bednarkiewicz. Jan trained at a German art school at ]. With his parents and four siblings he migrated to Australia, reaching Sydney in January 1882. The family settled at ], ], where his father and he worked in the coalmines. His parents had two more children in Australia. Moving to ] in 1883, Jan attended art classes. He boarded with the Saunders family from England at Oxford Street, Paddington, and on 17 May 1888 married their daughter Emma at the local district registrar's office. Living at Hurstville, John (as he was now known) was naturalized in November 1904 according to the Australian Naturalization Act of 1903.
==Biography==
Radecki was born on August 2, 1865 at ], ] to Pavel Radecki and his wife, Victoria. He attended art school in ] as a teenager, before emmigrating with his family to Australia in January 1882, where they resided in the town of ], ]. A year later, he moved to ] where he received further art training. He became a naturalized Australian citizen in November, 1904.


From 1885 Radecki had been employed by ], who taught him to work with glass. In the 1890s the two men had crafted stained-glass windows entitled 'Sermon on the Mount' (St Paul's Church, Cobbitty) and 'Nativity' (St Jude's, Randwick). Other works included a window at Yanco Agricultural College, produced in 1902 by F. Ashwin & Co. reputedly to Radecki's design, and the chancel window (1903) in St Clement's, Mosman. His first, major independent work was the 'Te Deum' window in Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney, in 1906. Ashwin and Radecki also collaborated on windows in St James's, Forest Lodge, and St John's, Campbelltown.
Beginning in 1885, Radecki worked for Frederick Ashwin, a leading stained glass designer who had immigrated from Great Britain. Ashwin built upon Radecki's art education and taught him the craft of working with glass, including the specialized techniques of painting it. Ashwin and Radecki thereafter collaborated on a number of window projects until Ashwin's death in 1909. Radecki then became the chief designer for the studio, now known as J. Ashwin & Co., partnering with Fred's brother, John. When John died in 1920, Radecki became proprietor of the studio, which grew to be the largest and most prestigious glass studio in Sydney.


Following Frederick Ashwin's death in 1909, Radecki left the firm F Ashwin & Co. He became chief designer for John Ashwin & Co, in partnership with Frederick's cousin John;<ref></ref> he was proprietor of the company from John Ashwin's death in 1920 until 1954. The largest glassmaking establishment in Sydney, with a high reputation, the firm created the chapel windows for St Scholastica's Convent, Glebe, in the early 1930s. Radecki's work included windows in such churches as St John the Evangelist's, Campbelltown, St Patrick's, Kogarah, St Joseph's, Rockdale, St Matthew's, Manly, and Our Lady of Dolours', North Goulburn, Scots Kirk, Hamilton, Newcastle, and the Presbyterian Church, Wollongong.
Radecki's works didn't just include churches and religious themes. In the mid-1920s, he and the Ashwin studio produced a set of windows for the vaulted ceiling of the Commonwealth Savings Bank, Martin Place, Sydney. These windows, which survive to this date, celebrate the sources of commerce in Australia. For the ] in Sydney, Radecki designed a window honoring ] and the first book printed in English.


A church committee-member during the building in 1928 of St Declan's Catholic Church, Penshurst, Radecki designed, produced and donated the stained-glass windows there, including a memorial window dedicated to his wife, who had died in 1919. On 8 January 1921 at the Church of Christ, Hurstville, Radecki married Sydney-born Jean Hughes (d.1944).
Besides the actual glass work, Radecki was a talented sketch artist and water color painter, techniques which he would use in developing the window designs. Radecki's enduring works were a result of his exceptional ability at drawing and sense of color, combined with an unparalelled understanding of the use of the medium itself.


During the 1920s John Ashwin & Co. produced the stained glass for the impressive, vaulted ceiling of what became the Commonwealth Savings Bank in Martin Place to designs by Radecki. These had an Australian character, illustrating 'the basic sources of wealth': sheep and cattle grazing, agriculture, mining, shipping and building; stockmen, carpenters, ], farming and wharf labourers were shown alongside a typical banking scene. A window for the reading room of the ], signed 'John Radecki, Sydney 1941', depicted the printer ] with the first book printed in English.
Radecki died at home on May 10, 1955 at the age of 90. The studio continued to be operated by his daughter, Winifred Siedlecky until her death. The building was demolished in 1961, but the studio was moved and it is still in business under different owners.

Radecki's strengths were a natural aptitude for figure drawing and composition, an eye for colour, which he used as a compositional device, an outstanding knowledge of his medium and facility with techniques in glass painting. His recreational passion was playing chess. He died on 10 May 1955 in his home at Hurstville, and was buried with Catholic rites in Woronora cemetery. The six daughters and three sons of his first marriage survived him. His daughter Winifred Siedlecky continued the company until the building's owners demolished the premises in Dixon Street in 1961.


==Notable works== ==Notable works==
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*], (1902, design by Radecki, production by F. Ashwin; it was then known as the Yanco Agricultural College) *], (1902, design by Radecki, production by F. Ashwin; it was then known as the Yanco Agricultural College)
*Chancel window, St. Clement's church, ] (1903, with F. Ashwin) *Chancel window, St. Clement's church, ] (1903, with F. Ashwin)
*''Te Deum'', Christ Church, St. Laurence, Sydney (1906, Radecki's first major independent work) *''Te Deum'', ], Sydney (1906, Radecki's first major independent work)
*St. John the Evangelist Church, ] (both with F. Ashwin and independently) *St. John the Evangelist Church, ] (both with F. Ashwin and independently)
*Commonwealth Savings Bank, Martin Place, Sydney (mid-1920s; windows in the vaulted ceiling) *Commonwealth Savings Bank, Martin Place, Sydney (mid-1920s; windows in the vaulted ceiling)
*St. Declan's Catholic Church, ] (1928; includes a window dedicated to Radecki's wife who died in 1919) *St. Declan's Catholic Church, ] (1928; includes a window dedicated to Radecki's wife who died in 1919)
*St. Scholastica's Convent, ] (early 1930s) *St. Scholastica's Convent, ] (early 1930s)
*St Mary's Catholic Church, ] (Two windows, southwest corner) *St Mary's Catholic Church, ] (Two windows, southwest corner)
*St. Patrick's, ] *St. Patrick's, ]
*St. Joseph's, ] *St. Joseph's, ]
*St. Matthew's, ] *St. Matthew's, ]
*Our Lady of Dolours', ] *Our Lady of Dolours', ]
*Presbyterian Church, ] *Presbyterian Church, ]
Line 31: Line 35:


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}}
* *
* *
* *
* *
*J. Zimmer, ''Stained Glass in Australia'' (1984) *J. Zimmer, ''Stained Glass in Australia'' (1984)
*B. E. Meagher, ''An Outline History of St. Declan’s Parish Penshurst, N.S.W.'' (1985) *B. E. Meagher, ''An Outline History of St. Declan's Parish Penshurst, N.S.W.'' (1985)
*B. Sherry, ''Australia’s Historic Stained Glass'' (1991) *B. Sherry, ''Australia's Historic Stained Glass'' (1991)
*J. Foster and J. Shailer, ''The Treasure of St Scholastica’s'' (2002) *J. Foster and J. Shailer, ''The Treasure of St Scholastica's'' (2002)
*Australian Women's Weekly, 7 Sept 1946, p.&nbsp;26
*D. Giedraityte, Stained and Painted Glass in the Sydney Area, c.1830-c.1920 (M.A. thesis, Sydney University, 1982)

== Further reading ==
* {{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47489933|title=SAINTS REAL PEOPLE TO STAINED-GLASS ARTIST|date=7 September 1946|issue=13|location=Australia|volume=14|page=26|via=National Library of Australia|newspaper=]|accessdate=11 April 2017}}

{{authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 02:57, 15 November 2024

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

John Radecki (also known as Johann and Jan Radecki) (2 August 1865 – 10 May 1955) was a master stained glass artist working in Australia, considered to be the finest such artist of his time.

Born 2 August 1865 at Łódź, Poland, son of Paweł Radecki, coalminer, and his wife Viktoria, née Bednarkiewicz. Jan trained at a German art school at Poznań. With his parents and four siblings he migrated to Australia, reaching Sydney in January 1882. The family settled at Wollongong, New South Wales, where his father and he worked in the coalmines. His parents had two more children in Australia. Moving to Sydney in 1883, Jan attended art classes. He boarded with the Saunders family from England at Oxford Street, Paddington, and on 17 May 1888 married their daughter Emma at the local district registrar's office. Living at Hurstville, John (as he was now known) was naturalized in November 1904 according to the Australian Naturalization Act of 1903.

From 1885 Radecki had been employed by Frederick Ashwin, who taught him to work with glass. In the 1890s the two men had crafted stained-glass windows entitled 'Sermon on the Mount' (St Paul's Church, Cobbitty) and 'Nativity' (St Jude's, Randwick). Other works included a window at Yanco Agricultural College, produced in 1902 by F. Ashwin & Co. reputedly to Radecki's design, and the chancel window (1903) in St Clement's, Mosman. His first, major independent work was the 'Te Deum' window in Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney, in 1906. Ashwin and Radecki also collaborated on windows in St James's, Forest Lodge, and St John's, Campbelltown.

Following Frederick Ashwin's death in 1909, Radecki left the firm F Ashwin & Co. He became chief designer for John Ashwin & Co, in partnership with Frederick's cousin John; he was proprietor of the company from John Ashwin's death in 1920 until 1954. The largest glassmaking establishment in Sydney, with a high reputation, the firm created the chapel windows for St Scholastica's Convent, Glebe, in the early 1930s. Radecki's work included windows in such churches as St John the Evangelist's, Campbelltown, St Patrick's, Kogarah, St Joseph's, Rockdale, St Matthew's, Manly, and Our Lady of Dolours', North Goulburn, Scots Kirk, Hamilton, Newcastle, and the Presbyterian Church, Wollongong.

A church committee-member during the building in 1928 of St Declan's Catholic Church, Penshurst, Radecki designed, produced and donated the stained-glass windows there, including a memorial window dedicated to his wife, who had died in 1919. On 8 January 1921 at the Church of Christ, Hurstville, Radecki married Sydney-born Jean Hughes (d.1944).

During the 1920s John Ashwin & Co. produced the stained glass for the impressive, vaulted ceiling of what became the Commonwealth Savings Bank in Martin Place to designs by Radecki. These had an Australian character, illustrating 'the basic sources of wealth': sheep and cattle grazing, agriculture, mining, shipping and building; stockmen, carpenters, gold panning, farming and wharf labourers were shown alongside a typical banking scene. A window for the reading room of the Mitchell Library, signed 'John Radecki, Sydney 1941', depicted the printer William Caxton with the first book printed in English.

Radecki's strengths were a natural aptitude for figure drawing and composition, an eye for colour, which he used as a compositional device, an outstanding knowledge of his medium and facility with techniques in glass painting. His recreational passion was playing chess. He died on 10 May 1955 in his home at Hurstville, and was buried with Catholic rites in Woronora cemetery. The six daughters and three sons of his first marriage survived him. His daughter Winifred Siedlecky continued the company until the building's owners demolished the premises in Dixon Street in 1961.

Notable works

  • Sermon on the Mount, St. Paul's Church, Cobbitty (1890s, with F. Ashwin)
  • Nativity, St. Jude's Church, Randwick (1890s, with F. Ashwin)
  • Yanco Agricultural High School, (1902, design by Radecki, production by F. Ashwin; it was then known as the Yanco Agricultural College)
  • Chancel window, St. Clement's church, Mosman (1903, with F. Ashwin)
  • Te Deum, Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney (1906, Radecki's first major independent work)
  • St. John the Evangelist Church, Campbelltown (both with F. Ashwin and independently)
  • Commonwealth Savings Bank, Martin Place, Sydney (mid-1920s; windows in the vaulted ceiling)
  • St. Declan's Catholic Church, Penshurst (1928; includes a window dedicated to Radecki's wife who died in 1919)
  • St. Scholastica's Convent, Glebe (early 1930s)
  • St Mary's Catholic Church, Mudgee (Two windows, southwest corner)
  • St. Patrick's, Kogarah
  • St. Joseph's, Rockdale
  • St. Matthew's, Manly
  • Our Lady of Dolours', North Goulburn
  • Presbyterian Church, Wollongong
  • Mitchell Library, Sydney (1941 depicting William Caxton)

References

  1. Lech Paszkowski, Poles in Australia and Oceania 1790-1940 (Australian National University Press, 1987) p 52.

Further reading

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