John McQuarrie's Angels

Preface of Catholic Mass told in statuary, by John McQuarrie and Fr. Cottle.
“There are twelve figures in all in two series of six each, representing angels with outspread wings. They are of heroic mold, being over ten feet high” … “the whole twelve figures are all alike – as much alike as it is possible to get them – the only difference being in the pose of each figure to carry out the command and responses to the preface to the mass.” Named “Silence”, “Contemplation”, “Lift up your hearts”, “We lift them up unto the Lord”, “Dignum et justum est (“It is right [to give Him thanks and praise]”).

-- [Call 1904], San Francisco Main Public Library, Historical Archives

Father John E. Cottle

Fr. John Cottle was the pastor of St. Brigid Church for 37 years, from 1889 to 1926.

“Father Cottle conceived the idea of having the mass preface told in statuary.”[Call 1904]
“He was a priest of eminent distinction and large accomplishment. His death on April 24, 1926 was widely mourned in his parish and in his city.” [Centennial 1863-1963]

John McQuarrie

John McQuarrie 1871-1944.

John McQuarrie, a versatile and prolific artist, was a native San Franciscan. He was a graduate of the Mark Hopkins Institute, which later became the San Francisco Art Institute, one of the most prestigious art schools in the U.S.

It was he who crafted the twelve 10-foot angel statues in the clerestory of San Francisco’s St. Brigid church. Each statue is unique in features and pose. They were first modeled in clay or plaster; then a mold formed from the model; after which came the casting in poured stone or plaster; at the final stage, the mold was chipped away. This commission was probably the largest and most complex of all his projects.

McQuarrie worked in a variety of media; including , bronze, poured stone and painting. He also did work in textile, stained glass and architectural design. His oeuvres appear in or on six buildings of state and/or national registries, as well as numerous other religious and secular buildings. Among his most well-known works: the Donner Party Monument at Donner Lake, California; the Bear Flag Monument in Sonoma, California; and monumental murals in at least six railroad depots in four states. His most famous mural is: Driving of the Golden Spike in the Union Pacific Depot in Salt Lake City, Utah.

-- Detail research provided by Mr. Bruno Morelli