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Thomas Martin at work in studio in Cumas, New Ross.
What a Wonderful WorldThis displays scenes from Louis Armstrong's song 'What a wonderful world’. ‘we have trees of green, skies of blue, red roses too. The colours of the rainbow and people shaking hands'. A man is looking at nature through a telescope. In his imagination he sees objects from the shades of the clouds. Finally, he sees God and his cup of destiny.
SamsonSamson was a character from the Bible in the Old Testament. Samson was an Israelite hero who fought the Philistines. He has great strength which he got from his hair. But he made friends with a Philistine woman called Delilah and told her the secret of his strength. So one day she cut off his hair so he was easily captured. The Philistines brought him to their temple and chained him up. But his hair grew again. Here we see him pushing the pillars and as they crack, the temple falls down and everyone is killed.
The BullfightBullfighting is considered a 'sport' but personally I consider it cruel and unfair. The bull, unlike the Matador, has no choice but to be teased, clowned around with, speared, and if he survives the fight, is put to death afterwards. The Matador, however, receives all the honours. The spectators gloat as the bull is misused. The whole affair is a modern version of the Colosseum.
Vinegar Hill - 1798 RisingFor centuries, Ireland was under British rule. There were several rebellions to free Ireland until the country was eventually free. Such rebellion was the 1798 Rising. Much of it took place in the County of Wexford. Ordinary farmers, led by Father John Murphy, revolted against British Rule. The Rebels had many victories before being finally defeated. The turning point was Vinegar Hill. Father Murphy and many of his men were executed. The moon was reputed to turn red. In 1800, the British Government passed the Act of Union to safeguard the British Empire in Ireland. Songs like 'Boolavogue' and 'Kelly of Killane' were composed to commemorate the ill-fated rising.
Streets of LondonThis painting is a scene taken from Ralph McTell's song 'The Streets of London'. A boy is dying and tells an angel that he is lonely. The angel takes the boy's hand and shows him what suffering goes on in the world in general and London in particular. So the boy changes his mind and is resigned to dying.
The Temple of JerusalemThe original temple of Jerusalem was allegedly built during the reign of Kind Solomon 1000 B.C. It was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans. When the Jews were scattered all over the world in 1948, the modern state of Israel was formed so a new temple was built.
Dr. FaustDr. Faust lived in the middle ages. He was an unscrupulous doctor who practiced magic and the black arts. Through black magic he raised the devil. He made a pact with the devil. He sold his soul for 24 years of high pleasure and forbidden knowledge. He had a passion for knowledge. Faust enjoyed his 24 years of passion. When his time was up, however, Faust tried to repent but the devil strangled him and dragged him to hell.
Rat RaceThe painting is a satire - it shows a pack of rats having a race across a track. It has a start and a finish, like any race, but it really shows what the human race is up to. In short, the human race is represented by the rats. The circus is the world. The prize is supposed to be a pot of gold. But at the finish, there is a headstone which is marked R.I.P. The picture points out the meaninglessness of the race which is encouraged by false goals. There is a saying 'Over the rainbow, there stands a pot of gold. An old man found it once we were told.' Hence the rainbow. People are so caught up with the world circus, that they lose direction in life.
Inside the VaticanThe title of the painting I got from a television series by the late Peter Ustinov 'Inside the Vatican'. The setting of the scene is the grounds of the Vatican. There is an interviewer asking the Pope - John 23rd - questions about the Vatican. He asks the Pope: 'How many people are there working in the Vatican?' 'About half', replies the Pope. Pope John the 23rd was Pope from 1958 to his death in 1963. This is the man generally responsible for the Vatican II.
NemesisThis is an anti-blood sports picture. The huntsman (in red coat) has hunted down a pet fox that was owned by the other man in the picture. The foxhounds had torn the fox asunder. The angry owner, in revenge, has strung up the huntsman by the heels. The huntsman has to wait an hour or two for someone to rescue him. He would be unlikely to hunt anymore foxes.
