Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1970

Date Range To

1996

Materials

WOOD

No. Pieces

1

Height

100

Length

213.8

Width

76.4

Description

ALTAR IS MEDIUM FINISH WOOD TABLE WITH TAPERED FRIEZE AT MID-SECTION. BOTTOM IS TWO WIDE LEGS WITH BRASS FRAME SCREWED TO LEGS. INSIDE BRASS FRAME IS CERAMIC TILE MOSAIC WITH BLUE AND GREY BACKGROUND. HAS WHITE ANGEL FIGURE WHOSE BODY AND WINGS FORM AN "M". TOP OF TABLE HAS 25.7CM SQUARE CUT IN IT FOR ALTAR STONE. ON FRONT CORNER IS BLUE PLASTIC LABEL WHICH READS "PROPERTY OF ST. MICHAEL'S HEALTH CENTRE 04947".

Subjects

CEREMONIAL ARTIFACT

Historical Association

RELIGION

FURNISHINGS

HEALTH SERVICES

History

THIS ALTAR WAS DONATED TO THE HOSPITAL BY MR. AND MRS. R.D. GRUENWALD IN 1965 TO REFURNISH THE NEW 2ND FLOOR CHAPEL. IT WAS DONATED IN MEMORY OF MR. GRUENWALD'S PARENTS. THE ALTAR WAS REMOVED FROM THE CHAPEL AT ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL BEFORE THE HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. FOR MORE HISTORY ON HOSPITAL SEE P19960116001-GA. ALTAR WAS CONSTRUCTED BY LOCAL CARPENTER JAKOB MARTENS. IN A STATEMENT MADE ON 16 FEBRUARY 2007, RICHARD (DICK) GRUENWALD, THE CHAPEL’S FINANCIAL SPONSOR, DOCUMENTED THE FOLLOWING: “IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT THIS WAS A CATHOLIC HOSPITAL, PRIVATELY OWNED BY THE SISTERS OF ST. MARTHA. THEREFORE, IT WAS EXPECTED THE CHAPEL WOULD BE INCORPORATED IN THE ORIGINAL BUILDING. IT (THE CHAPEL) WAS DECORATED AND UPDATED FOR GREATER USE BY THE STAFF AND PATIENTS … IN THE EARLY 1970’S. THIS (RENOVATION) WAS PAID FOR AND SPONSORED BY AN ESTATE LEFT TO BE USED FOR CHARITY. THE EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE (DICK) CHOSE TO USE THE MONEY TO REFURBISH THE CHAPEL. (MY) MOTHER (LUCY) LEFT MONEY FOR CHARITY (DECEASED 1 MAY 1970) AND ST. MICHAEL’S HAD NO MONEY FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS.” DICK GRUENWALD CLAIMED HIS MOTHER’S ESTATE PAID OUT $5,500 FOR THE CHAPEL. LUCY, HE SAID, “WAS A GREAT FRIEND OF THE SISTERS OF ST MARTHA AND ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL”. DICK SERVED ON THE HOSPITAL’S BOARD IN THE EARLY 70S. *UPDATE* IN 2010, NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF PALLET RACKING. SHE MET WITH JAKOB MARTENS (WHO HAD PURPORTEDLY MADE THE ALTAR) TO DISCUSS THE ALTAR. HE SAID THAT THE ALTAR WAS NOT HIS WORK.

Catalogue Number

P19960116170

Acquisition Date

1996-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail