.A?A FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD OF THE ART TO THE PRESENT TIME, ILLUSTRATED BY COLOURED EXAMPLES OF ENTIRE WINDOWS IN THE VARIOUS STYLES. BY WILLIAM WARRINGTON. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, BERKELEY STREET WEST. M.DCCC.XLYIIL [PRINTED BY J. B. NICHOLS SON, 26, PARLIAMENT STREET.] h <-7 r S> <2/ <3 8 j>7 * ADDRESS. THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. The present Work was commenced under views and circumstances totally different from those which have attended its completion, and under the disadvantages of the Author's igno¬ rance then of the capabilities of Chromo-lithography as applied to the representation of windows of stained glass. In fact his idea at the time was rather that of attempting an experiment on a few Plates which he happened to possess (in black outline only for Water-colouring), which were generously subscribed by his patrons as a token of satisfaction with the several windows executed by him for them, and with the view of recommending him to others. Under these circumstances, he determined to try the effect of Chromo-lithography upon them, with a prospect of probably pub¬ lishing them with a few pages of letter-press of a descriptive nature. Hence it is that this work is illustrated with Plates from his own designs; for, finding himself encouraged in his undertaking, and urged by the entreaties of many of his friends and patrons, he was induced to take a much more extended view of the matter, not only in the number of Plates, but especially in the letter- press, which in the first instance there was no intention of making so ample, or of enlarging into any thing like a consecutive historical account of the art, or it might have been well and usefully illus¬ trated from ancient works only. It is however still hoped that the present Plates may sufficiently serve to explain any want of perspicuity in the letter-press. The Author, although he feels that he may without impropriety affirm that the lithogra¬ phers have been most indefatigable in combating many difficulties, and that much praise is due to them for the admirable manner in which they have acquitted themselves, is yet bound to state that this excellence has not been attained without much pains, cost, and trouble. To Mr. T. J. Rawlins much credit is due for the ability with which he has so faithfully executed the Plates, he having for the most part reduced the Drawings from the original Cartoons. A Volume in continuation, with details at large from Ancient Authorities only, as con¬ nected with all the different styles, will hereafter be published, consisting of Sacred Monograms, Pinnacles, Bosses, Emblems, Quarrels, Chronograms, Diapers, Crockets, Rebuses, Heraldry, and other Ornaments, with explanatory letter-press to each Plate. The Author has much to regret his inability to comply with the desire of many of his friends and patrons who wished for the insertion of their windows in the present work ; but, inde¬ pendently of its having been extended much beyond his original intention, it was found absolutely necessary to confine the Plates to such examples as had immediate reference to the letter-press, and formed a sufficient variety of design for each style, so as to make the work as far as possible both useful and instructive, rather than a mere record of his works, for which reason he has selected his designs without reference to their dignity or importance, either in size or situation. The literary portion of this work (being the sole and unassisted production business, behaving mainly devoted his time and energ.es towards to Z pLpicuity without of his art,) will it is hoped be viewed with critrcal mdulgenoe, rts object be.ng p P presuming to studied elegance of expression. -•-“■ri-r.rrr.-r;: L“-;c»rsr: themselves in many particulars, a des of ridiculing; a taste admire in our ancestors what for some ^ ™ ^antique illumination of books, and even for old-fashioned furniture, the old style of architectu , q ^ ^ letters< indicate the the media.val but most reverential style of sacre raw ^ absur dities of ancient beginning of a new movement, not a ; n the.r real for reformation cast times, but a going back to pick up the goo P SUCC eeded in the follow- 2 cXc^r and^true consideration of Mediteva, Art, especiallyin th, the pnncpal branch of it, his labours will not have been unrequited, nor Ins task regretted. PREFACE. ThE revival of the ancient school of ecclesiastical decoration, to which so much attention has of late years been devoted, on the part both of the public who demand and the artists who supply it, has particularly influenced the art of Painting on Glass. The immense quantity of this material which is annually manufactured in this country alone, and the rapidly increasing demand for it, have rendered it a matter of the deepest importance that the true principles of the art should be as far as possible thoroughly and generally appreciated. The consequences of the contrary bias of public opinion, ignorance of the beauties, and apathy about the preservation, of ancient stained glass, are sufficiently manifest in the miserable productions and general decay of the science in the last half century. And the scarcely less deplorable consequences of the present state of feeling—zeal for the art without sufficient knowledge of its details—are severely felt, both by the artists them¬ selves and by the few really competent judges, who perceive that the best intentions are constantly frustrated, and the most liberal gifts abused and perverted, by mistaken notions, or entire ignorance on the part of the employers. The great costliness, magnificence, durability, and almost unlimited capabilities of pictorial and religious effect possessed by this, the highest department of decorative art, must satisfy all well- disposed minds that nothing poor, faulty, and trashy should any longer be tolerated in our churches. What is really good must now be distinguished from what is either merely showy, or positively bad in effect or principles of composition. Moreover, that which is executed in the present may be the example in a future generation. We have but a little ancient glass left in its original state; and, il the greatest care be not taken of that little, we shall have much less a century hence : so that real ancient models should be made available, and strictly followed in all modern works, if the fact now admitted by all be worthy of consideration—that the true and only standard of excellence is the medi¬ eval style of art. True it is that such a statement would have been deemed ridiculous twenty years ago. It would have been said, that our improved knowledge of anatomy, of drawing, of perspective, ol grouping, of effects, and the like, was so much greater than the ancient artists ever attained, that our painting on glass must needs be better than theirs. The pseudo-professors of an art which they did not comprehend thus proceeded on modern principles, never doubting that the success would be commensurate with the plausible grounds of their theory. And what was the result ? Works so bad, and so deficient in effects of colour and combination, that we look on the washy transparencies of this school with unmixed regret at their ignorance and presumption. The reason of all this is explained in very few words. People did not know that mediaeval glass-painting was entirely con¬ ventional. They saw, indeed, that somehow or other an ancient Saint, with his unreal countenance, his diapered nimbus , his quaintly proportioned members, and yet heavenly and devotional attitude— the very ideal of holy contemplation and celestial portraiture ; that this form, with reclined head and clasped hands, had infinitely more of character, if not of grace, than the comely and comfortable form produced, on improved principles, by the modern pencil; yet no one could solve the mystery* why it should be so. We now see that the ancient painters had the deepest knowledge of blending and combining colours, and that this style of painting was not only in its delineation strictly conven- iv tional, but was adapted to the materia.; in a word, that they did not wish to treat glass like canvas, or any opaque painted surface. The bad effects which are ever found to result from violation of true principles are undoubtedly most conspicuous in the great mass of recent productions in this art. Caprice, self-con deuce reluct¬ ance to follow, and a desire to lead and to stand at the head of the profession, have been fatal to the suc¬ cessful practice of painting on glass. Few have cared to study, and fewer still minutely to copy, the best ancient remains we possess; so that both knowledge and taste have been kept at the lowest standard, and the judgment of the public has been perverted, rather than directed aright, by the works of manv modern artists. In making these remarks, the Author has felt himself called upon, for the sake of his profes¬ sion, to state boldly and plainly some of the causes of recent failure in the art. Even though he should seem to be at once disparaging his competitors, and setting forth his own works as models of perfection, he is in reality very far from aiming at either of these invidious objects. Long and anxiously has he waited, in the hope that some more able and eminent person would supply a want which now seriously requires to be supplied. It is necessary to improve public taste, or the art itself can never be generally improved. But it is by the production of good modern works that this must principally be effected. Hence the Author has chosen to give a series of his own designs, which have actually been executed by himself (knowing, as he does, that they are all composed on the most rigid principles of ancient art), rather than to add to the number of illustrations of ancient specimens which have from time to time appeared. The confusion of the different styles, and a general neglect of the appropriateness of particular symbols, as well as numberless violations of heraldic and pictorial laws, have been fatal to the success of many modern works. It must always be remembered, that the style of glass-painting was adapted to the style of window tracery; and that ornamental work, appropriated to the wavy lines of the Decorated, may be very ill suited to the rigid perpendicularity of the Tudor, window. Again, the filling up of a lancet-light may not suit the single compartment of a mullioned window; for size, com¬ pleteness of design, style of canopy, dimensions, and grouping of figures, and a hundred other points, must be observed. The caprice and want of knowledge in the employer are too often found to overrule the really correct views, and thwart the earnest wishes, of the artist, who thereby most unreasonably incurs a responsibility which in reality attaches exclusively to the former. Artists are made to commit sole¬ cisms against their wish and their sober judgment; and they must generally comply, or resign the work. A morbid taste for pretty pictures, excessive colouring, and bright, glowing tints unsubdued by a proper admixture of white glass; a taste for purely natural representations of humanity, instead of the mystic poetry of conventional delineation and symbolism ; has gone far to deprave judgment and retard the improvement of the art. But better things may now be looked for; and the Author has had the temerity to bring these his humble efforts before the public, not for the purpose of invidiously contrasting them with those of others—not for the sake of vaunting his own superior skill and talents —but simply from a conviction of the necessity of some such undertaking, and with the earnest hope that it may stimulate others to more successful exertion. W. WARRINGTON. London, 1848. V '-V’' . ■ HISTORY OF STAINED GLASS. Sect. I. INTRODUCTION. BuT little is known of the origin and early history of the Art of Painting on Glass, and of the manufacture of the coloured material, either by antiquaries or practitioners, especially in Eng¬ land, although in this country it has more continuously flourished than perhaps in any other. Still, a good deal of information exists respecting it, distributed amongst various works, which only requires some pains and judgment to reduce to something like a systematic arrangement. But no author seems to have thought it of sufficient importance to trace it from its earliest efforts consecutively through the ramifications of the variously succeeding styles* As all the earlier masters took especial care that their designs should be in harmony with and subservient to the architecture with which they were connected, the study of it in this view is evidently of the deepest importance; and a chronological work on this subject, shewing by what feel¬ ings they were actuated in the composition of those designs from time to time, seems at the present day to be so necessary, that it is much to be wondered at that no able person has supplied a want, which has been felt and acknowledged by all, and has naturally led to so many misconceptions as to the ability and artistic knowledge of the earlier practitioners, as well as to so much ignorance of the comparative merit of modem designs. This has been consequent upon a want of the means of care¬ fully investigating the matter, and from the absence of any well digested standard by which the art could be tested, and to which it could be progressively traced. That stained glass is an almost indispensable accessory to all ecclesiastical edifices few will deny: they are in fact incomplete without this instructive and harmonizing auxiliary; instructive, because it presents to view those holy memorials which are so calculated to inform the mind and attune it to devotion by portraying the miracles and sufferings of our Blessed Saviour, and the events in the lives of the apostles, martyrs, and holy men who have devoted themselves to Christianity —harmonizing, because it subdues and chastens the effect, as well as blends and softens the bold and rugged outlines of architecture, by shutting out effectively the external world and the glare ot excessive light; thus concentrating the mind as it were to one devotional purpose, and presenting nothing to view but those holy symbols which engender sympathy and reverence. There can be no doubt that, as from the earliest and most primitive times acts of heroic virtue or devoted piety were held in sacred and reverential memory by all good and sincere Christians, so they adopted every means in their power to perpetuate, by tradition or the representations of material art, the lives of their most revered and holy predecessors. Hence the symbols and mono¬ grams of the founders of their faith, the painted and sculptured portraits of its propagators and pro¬ fessors, became endeared to their minds ; and these were the recognised means of fixing indelibly in their memories the objects of their esteem both in present and past times. And hence material art • The only work which has yet appeared with any pretensions to be a complete treatise on the varieties in the styles of painted glass, is that lately published in 2 vols. 8vo. “ An Inq.dry into the Difference of Style observable in Ancient Painted Glass, by an Amateur,” an excellent book in its way, but still deficient in the scientific knowledge which none but a practitioner can possess. HISTORY OF STAINED GLASS. became gradually the exponent of the doctrines of religion, and men exercise t eir m ° s c0 s m mate skill in portraying Scripture scenes, and even in bringing the invisible eings world within the scope of human apprehension. How much therefore are we indebted to those holy men who have devote t lemse ves to t le erection of such magnificent edifices to the glory of God, which are still the wonder and a miration of this scientific age, dedicating them in honour of the saints and martyrs whose lives, mnac es, devotion, and acts of goodness, they have endeavoured thus to perpetuate in the least perishable materials, stone, stained glass, and brass. They have furnished us with innumerable sculptuies, monuments, storied windows, tapestry, and illuminated manuscripts, without which we could not have known, nor even conjectured, the perfection to which mediaeval art attained. In executing the great works of antiquity, all seem to have been animated with one mmd and purpose; the architect, the mason, the carver, the painters, decorators, glass-stainers, and engravers, had clearly but one feeling towards one grand result, object, and purpose. This must be our con¬ clusion from those works which are still remaining, and which are left to us by a sort of chance. How would this conviction be confirmed if there were still remaining all that has perished, through time, neglect, and wilful destruction; for we cannot peruse these remains without feeling that they are the continuous and connecting links from time to time, which bind together Christians and Christianity of the past and the present; we cannot look at them and their progressive embellish¬ ments without knowing, feeling, and concluding that these things are the very germs, the very seed, of art, the groundwork of that civilization which we are now enjoying. If so, is it not incumbent on us to do likewise for our posterity, since the saints and martyrs of the Church cannot be less worthy of honour and memorial now than they formerly were ? Shall we, whilst we hesitate not to erect statues, monuments, and memorials to heroes, warriors, and statesmen, fear to commemorate in the decorations of our churches the lives of those who have at once been the servants of God and the benefactors of mankind ? Shall we, whilst we scruple not to embellish our prayer-books and scrip¬ tures with illustrative pictures, shudder with a morbid feeling in doing honour to great and worthy men, by using every means in our power to teach the young and the ignorant, ocularly as well as orally, to follow their example ? Having then endeavoured to show that it is not only unobjectionable to decorate our sacred edifices by every means in our power, but that it is our duty to do so, both for commemorating the good and for holding them up to the imitation of others, and not less so, as a contribution to civiliza¬ tion, by the inculcation of taste ; we proceed to observe, that the greatest care and pains ought to be taken, that whatever is to be done should be done correctly. And under whose judgment and con¬ trol can ecclesiastical works of art be so fitly placed as that of the clergy, who have the care and formation of our minds, and have so much influence over the tastes of our youth ? How carefully ought they to study the pure and correct examples of our forefathers, whose works were so well con¬ sidered, so intrinsic in their merit, so consummate in their details! How much dilapidation and mistaken improvement has taken place, to the detriment and destruction of ever-to-be-lamented works of art and devotion, by churchwardens and others (who could not be expected to know better), is too evident, and this too while our spiritual pastors were seemingly unconscious of the value of the works entrusted to their care. Happily, from the deep interest which is now felt in such matters, there is good reason to hope that the devotion and diligence of our present dignitaries, and of the clergy in general, will in some measure atone for past neglect. We will now consider this art in respect to its probable origin, and as connected with the various changes and styles of architecture, and the feelings which seemed to actuate the artists and operators in carrying it out under the different circumstances, conventionally, heraldically , and other¬ wise, together with its position and the mode of practising it during the time when it is generally, but erroneously, said to have been lost. As this last named error has operated against it, and so much retarded its progress by long, constant, unfounded, and unremitting prejudices, continued from century to century, it will be desirable to examine the truth of it, before we enter into the chronology of the art. HISTORY OF STAINED GLASS. 3 We merely state here, (what we shall in due order show,) that, so far from this art having been lost, it has at no time been even discontinued, and more especially in this country, in which not only restorations, but new works, although more or less bad in their taste, have been con¬ tinuously executed. A vulgar notion has existed that the art of painting and staining glass was a secret process, now entirely forgotten or very partially known; than which nothing can be more erroneous, for, so far from this being the case, it is indisputably true that, mechanically speaking, more power now exists (and has existed for these fifty years, especially over enamels) than the ancient glass-painters ever attained. The enamels which they produced were not encaustic; those of modern painters are indelibly fixed : and so great and extensive are the means now at command in this respect, that the finest pictures may be produced, original or in fac-simile, by living artists. It is therefore perfectly practicable, if desirable, to create such works as are appropriate and in unison with the classic, as well as with the Gothic, style. With such facilities, the results of modern science, it will be readily perceived that, so far from this art having been lost, it was only in abey¬ ance from a want of taste to encourage its production, a consequent want of energy in the exercise of genius in its application, and of skill in tastefully and properly applying it. In this respect indeed not only had the art lost its way from a want of the knowledge of correct application, but even now it can hardly be said to have recovered it, few works of modem times being faultless. Nor is this to be wondered at, seeing that comparatively few remains now exist whereon to found our taste, and those so distributed, that, however great may be the artist s talent, it must of necessity require a very early devotion to the art, much study, travelling, and research, before he can acquire a sufficient knowledge to grapple with all the styles successfully. For this is an art which compre¬ hends many subject^ which collectively constitute the primary foundation, the starting point of all following decorations, and especially in ecclesiological matters ; which requires also a combined study of history, sacred and profane, a knowledge of ecclesiastical and civil costume, armour and armoury, heraldry and genealogy, conventionalism, symmetry, colouring, and the manufacturing of colours; chemistry; drawing, geometrical, mathematical, and artistical; together with a mechanical knowledge of combining numberless parts to compose a whole, of the effect of which he has scarcely an opportunity of forming any other than a problematical judgment, until the entire work is erected,* and which therefore he can only acquire by habit and intuitive feeling. All these departments of science must the artist study, in order to know how to apply all and each in the several styles appropriately and in unison with the different epochs and varieties of architecture. In one word the art requires mechanics to be combined with it ; and the artist who studies but in one department, will find it difficult if not impossible effectually to carry out the others. It is not necessary to ascertain the antiquity of glass-making as an invention, beyond the assurance of its remote origin. There can be no doubt that it existed in very early times ; for allusion is supposed to be made to it in a passage of the Greek comedian, Aristophanes, who flourished more than four hundred years before the Christian era, and who speaks of “ the transparent stone from which they light fire,” l e. our use of the burning glass ; t and Agricola, (lib. 12,) says, “ White stones when melted are best for the purpose;” and Pliny says, “That of such like stones they make glass in India most admirably transparent, so that nothing else is comparable to it; t and Ferrandus Imperatus (lib. 24, cap. 16) speaks of the glass-stone called Quocoli, which is “ almost like white marble, but something transparent, and hard as flint, of a light green colour, like a serpentine-stone. * “ The Athenians, intending to set up the image of Minerva upon a high pillar, employed Phidias and Alcamenes: the latter having no skill in geometry or the optics, made her wonderfully fair to the eye of them that saw her near; Phidias contrariwise (being skilful m the arts, chiefly the optics,) considering that the whole shape would change according to the height of the place, made her lips wide open her nose somewhat out of order, and all the rest accordingly, by a kind of resuspination: the two images being brought to view, Plndias was m great danger to have been stoned by the multitude, until at length the statues were set up, when the sweet and excellent strokes of Alcamenes were drowned, and the disfigured, distorted, hard-favouredness of Phidias his work vanished (and all this by the height of the place); by which means Alcamenes was laughed at, and Phidias much more esteemed.” Polygraphices, chap. 3, page 317, edit. 1700. f Sir Gardner Wilkinson says, “ The Egyptians were acquainted with the art of glass-blowing upwards of 3300 years ago. Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, vol.iii.p. 88. The workmen are represented making it on one of the tombs. + According to Pliny the use of glass is owing to the following circumstance. As some merchants were carrying nitre, they stopped a river which issues from Mount Carmel, as they could not readily find stones to rest their- kettle, on, they used for this purpose some of those nieces of nitre. The fee, which gradually dissolved the nitre, and mixed it with the sand, occasioned a transparent matter to flow, which in Lt, was nothing else than glass. Vide DTsrnelTs Curiosities of Literature, p. 51B, 1th edition, 1795 r Murray, London. 4 HISTORY OF STAINED GLASS. and having veins like Venice tale; this being put into the fire, loses its transparency and becomes more white and light, will not turn into lime, but in length of time be converted into glass. But we may go yet further back into the history of this material. The Egyptians as well as the Chinese were well acquainted with enamels, and, as its discovery was probably in the East, it is not likely that it was much used for other purposes than enamels and artificial gems. The in a itants of our Western hemisphere were most likely the first to apply it to windows, thereby making it at once ornamental and useful; though it has been thought that the primitive Basilican churches were supplied with glass-windows in the clerestory. We are certain that glass was in use befoie St. Jeiome, who lived in the fourth century; for, speaking of glass in his works, he writes, Fenestim quse vitro in tenues laminas fuso obductse erant,” which justifies the conclusion that the use and appliance of glass was far anterior to the time in which he wrote, and confirms the opinion of its having been used by the early Christians of Rome. It is related by Philon, a Jew, that an interview took place between the dreadful Caligula and some Christians, at a time when he was giving instructions to some artists, who were embellishing his palaces of Macena and Lamia. The Emperor constantly and pettishly interrupted the discourse during the audience, ordering the artists, that the windows of coloured glass should be surrounded with a border of white glass, to heighten the light ; also to construct a casement to let off the condensed air. (Les CEuvres de Philon, translated from the Greek by Pierre Bellie.) Pliny, Cassius, and Isodorus relate the following incident in the life of Tiberius. For some offence the Emperor had banished a glass-worker, who, having during his exile discovered the art of making glass malleable, in opposition to his sentence, returned, when he appeared before the Emperor, and presented one of his glasses to him. The Emperor, enraged at the return of the artist without his permission, dashed the glass on the marble pavement; it was however only flattened by the fall, and the artist took it up and brought it into shape again. The Emperor astonished, inquired if any other person knew the secret ? The artist said, “ Mighty Emperor, no, none whatever.” Upon hearing which he immediately ordered his head to be struck off, stating as a reason, the necessity of keeping the secret, lest glass should become more precious than gold, and derange the metallic circulation of his kingdom. Gregory of Tours relates that in A D. 525, “ a soldier of the army of Theodoric penetrated into the church of St. Julian, in Brionde, in Auvergne, of a window of which he broke the glass and Fortunatus, Bishop of Poictiers, towards the seventh century, did with much delight and ecstacy indite and poetise in his praise and admiration of the windows of Notre Dame, at Paris, eulogizing them thus : “ Prima capit radios vitreis oculata/enestris, Artificisque manu clausit in arce diem, Cursibus aurora vaga lux laquearia complet, Atque suis radiis et sine sole mical." Fortunatus, lib. ii. De Eccles. Paris. It is certain that windows of churches were usually glazed at about this time, from Bede, who in speaking of the church of Mount Olivet, near Jerusalem, says, “ In the west front of it were eight windows, which on some occasions used to be illuminated with lamps, which shone so bright, through the glass, that the mount seemed in a blaze.” * St. Philibert, founder of the Abbey of Jumieges (in Normandy), caused to be placed between six and seven hundred (655 in all) windows of glass in the cloistral buildings of this magnificent edifice. The following was found written upon this subject in the history of his life by the order of Cochin, third abbot of the same monastery:— “ Singula per tecta lux radiat per fenestras, vitrum penetrans, lumen optabile tribuens legentibus." -f- St. Ouen, in the life of St. Eloi, makes mention of the same windows, thus : “ Apparuit subito in pariete, circa vitream maximam." J * Bed® lib. de locis Sanctis, cap. 6, + Essai sur la Peinture sur Verre, par E. H. Langlois, p. 7. Rouen, 1832. + Ibid. HISTORY OF STAINED GLASS. 5 The preceding citations prove beyond a doubt the high antiquity of glass, not only as an invented article, but as applied to windows to some extent. That it was used in France and Nor¬ mandy long before it was known in England is equally certain. As (in many respects) at a later period we owe to our Norman ancestors the introduction of the arts into England, so were we long previous to the Conquest indebted to them or the French for the derivation of this art, glass not being known in England until the seventh century, as it appears by the Acts of the Bishops of York, that St. Wilfred, who died in A.D. 702, was the first to use it in England, by having over from France workmen for that purpose : “ Artifices lapidearum et vitrearum fenestrarum primus in Angliam ascivit.” It is rather doubtful what “ lapidearum'' can refer to, unless perhaps to the stone frames of the windows, which must have been so contrived as to answer the purpose of leading in these times. Probably the pieces of glass were inserted in pierced stones, and, the glass itself being very coarse and opaque in the infancy of its manufacture, would naturally enough be mentioned as part and parcel of the frame in which it was set. That glass was from time to time improved in its manufacture is shown by a certain passage in the third Book of Leon d’ Ostie, who mentions the works of Mont Cassin by Abbot Didier; the expression compactis tabulis is employed by the same writer, to describe the thickness of the glass, which seems to prove that its manufacture had made considerable progress since St. Jerome, and that glass was then cast or manufactured in comparatively thin sheets, although of small dimensions. The manufacture of glass was commenced in this country in the early part of the eighth cen¬ tury, for we find that about the year A.D. 715, St. Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth, in the diocese of Durham, brought over French artists and artificers for the construction of his monastery, and especially glass-makers: “ Misit legatarios Galliam, qui vitri factores, (artifices videlicet Bri- tanniis eatenus incognitos) ad cancellandas Ecclesiae porticumque et ccenaculorum ejus fenestras adducerent.” (Beda, lib. i. De Wiremuthensi Mon. % 5.) And from these, so far as we can ascertain, glass manufacture was derived in England, and the knowledge and practice of it per¬ petuated and maintained ; and it is worthy of remark, that the manufacture of this article has been mainly confined to that district down to the present time. So thoroughly did the Anglo-Saxons acquire this knowledge, that it is said they furnished artizans, in connexion with this article, to other nations, during the eighth century, by which means they also procured for themselves a new embellishment of art, and a new source of human industry. It is difficult, if not impossible, to conceive a correct idea of the form, merit, or dimensions of the windows of the ecclesiastical edifices in these very early periods, and for some succeeding ages, they having been introduced as a matter of usefulness, mainly to inclose the edifice and stop out the weather so peculiar to this climate. It is, however, quite certain, that the manufacture of glass must have made rapid strides in improvement in England, France, and Germany, during the eighth and ninth centuries, though it is extremely doubtful if Painting on glass was then conceived, so as to represent figures either on plain or coloured grounds. Perhaps a fanciful arrangement of patterns, possibly interspersed with colours, might have suggested itself, and this practice might have led to the ornamental and mosaic arrangement of colours so prevalent and universal in the earliest stages of glass-painting which are known to us. St. Benigne, of Dijon, who wrote about A.D. 1052, assures us, that there did exist in his time in the church of that monastery a very ancient window, representing St. Paschasie, and that this painting was taken from the old church restored by Charles the Bald; it appears therefore highly probable that an attempt at ornamental windows, if not glass-painting, is nearly if not quite coeval with the use of glass for windows, and that it was as much used for scientific and artistic decoration as for comfort. The Romans also excelled in the art of manufacturing artificial gems, “ the trans¬ parent splendour and colours of which would present at the first view a resemblance to the gems themselveswhich record fully supports the previous conclusion, that coloured glasses were in some way or manner in as early use as simple white glass. With these testimonies before us, we may well think it likely that from its first introduction into this country it may have been applied ornamentally in some mosaic manner, by a tasteful arrangement of such colours as were then available. Sect. II. ORIGIN OF PAINTING ON GLASS. That very early attempts were made to paint on glass is very certain, not only from the previous citation from St. Benigne, but also from the very ancient examples that we are acquainted with, which are generally so well arranged in colouring, so elaborate, comprehensive in size, design, ability, and fine pencilling, as to plainly suggest and justify a conclusion that the art was by no means then in an infantine state, but that it must have been handed down in continued practice to the artists of those works, though the exact epoch of its origin it may be impossible to ascertain. As the mosaic use of glass implies its accomplishment by a subdivision of parts, to paint, diaper, or place different patterns on these separate pieces for ornament, or to subdue its glare, was a natural idea, and was probably first done in cold or unburnt enamel, oil, or otherwise, which, being found not to be durable, may naturally have led to the consideration and invention of colours which would bear vitrification. Nor can we suppose that this could have required a very great effort, as the manufacture of pottery and domestic utensils, as well as the glass itself, would at once place the pro¬ cess within reach and command of even rude and inexperienced artists. As we have shewn, therefore, on the testimony of St. Benigne, that long before his time (A.D. 1052) a representation of St. Paschasie had been made on glass, and as the earliest remaining glass that we know of is not earlier than the twelfth century, (which cannot even now be excelled, if equalled,) from its relative merits we may fairly and justly conclude, that the art of glass-painting had made much progress towards excellence during the interim to this period. How far the use of coloured glasses was known in the earliest attempts must be a mere matter of conjecture. To draw figures on plain white glass in coarse and heavy lines, or to make geometric patterns, either in outline or shaded by hatched strokes, was the simplest idea, and, to judge by the few remains we have of the most remote period, was much in vogue even to the close of the thirteenth century. It is highly probable that very minute pieces of colour were first added to embellish these plain windows, the idea being derived from the setting of gems in a plainer material. As the art progressed the amount of colour became greater and greater, and we have some fragments of the latter part of the twelfth century, in which only two or three little medallions of blue or ruby glass were admitted as centres of patterns. Such is the glass in the church of Braboume, in Kent, which is of this date. As we are about to comment on the different styles separately, it may be well to examine into and ascertain the main principles on which stained glass was carried into effect, when it had assumed a scientific and historical position, and when its authors had taken upon them the important mission of chroniclers of events, on a material much more durable than papyrus or parchment, in connexion with sacred edifices, considered as safe depositaries from the holy reverence in which they were held. As therefore in the early ages of the Church symbolism was, in the abeyance of letters, resorted to as a means of Christian teaching, so in like manner the colours had their uses and symbolic meanings, from which heraldic symbolism was undoubtedly derived; but as the principle was in its early stages of Christian use applied mosaically, as derived from the East, so was it afterwards by stained glass adapted to windows; and, as they were therefore in each case intended for the most part as gems and precious metals, so in fact must they be considered, and not as mere colours. Heraldry was not reduced to a science until after the first Crusade, (with which the earliest remaining glass is coeval,) and which began in A.D. 1095, and brought together numbers of princes and nobles from many countries, a circumstance which created a necessity, for the sake of distinction, discrimination, order, and arrangement, of heraldic blazonry, and the more especially so as surnames were not generally then adopted, the chiefs being designated by their various characteristics, such as strength, conquest, colour, learning, place of birth, courage, &c., as is the case with all our earlier monarchs. Yet a certain portion of blazon must have long previously prevailed in their banners. ORIGIN OF PAINTING ON GLASS. 7 and in their professional accompaniments, such being attributed to the tribes of Israel, * and cer¬ tainly to both the Greek and Roman warriors. Thus in the play of iEschylus, called the Seven Chiefs against Thebes, a lull account is given, almost in modem terms, of the devices, mottoes, and coloured emblems by which the shield of each warrior was distinguished. Whether, therefore, stained glass was in its mode of colouring derived from the symbolic colours of the Church, or from heraldry or the principles of heraldry, from either, or both, is not very important if considered as a means to effect only; for certain it is, that both were, and must ever to a very great extent be, guided by and carried out upon the same rules, and this for the simple reason that they mainly rest on the primitive colours, and it is a fixed principle, that the eye cannot be satisfied without the presence of the whole. For this very reason it is a standard principle in heraldry, that colour on colour, or metal on metal, is false blazon, a fact which has been averred from time to time by all heraldic writers, and which, in short, is an heraldic law. It is true that a very few exceptions exist, such as the arms of Jerusalem, (Argent, a cross potent between four crosses potent or,) but they only the more forcibly shew the rule, and few if any of these degenerations occur in pure English heraldry, which, from Richard Cceur de Lion, has been reduced to a most accurate science, a most truthful and admirable index to history. For the foregoing reasons it is absolutely necessary to thoroughly consider and study the prin¬ ciples of heraldry in connexion with stained glass, as a key to the knowledge and understanding of the primary principles of colouring, and more especially of the primitive styles of which we are about to treat, which are indeed a sort of heraldry upon a larger scale. The reason why this has not been generally comprehended is, that these works have been viewed through a false medium in respect to the colours of which they are composed, namely, by considering them as yellow, blue, white, red, and green; whereas to understand them properly, and to account for the extraordinary effects which these colours produce in combination, they must be considered both symbolically and heraldically, as the colours of the Church, and as the blazonry of our ancient nobility; viz., as topaz, sapphire, pearl, ruby, and emerald ; understanding them as a mosaic assemblage of gems, to which they bear so close a resemblance, rather than as a collection of painted colours. To illustrate this in colouring, yellow and green are mawkish and sickly in effect, while topaz and emerald are magnificent in depth and hue, especially when intermixed with rubies, sapphires, pearls, and gold, to which yellow glass approximates. And what can compare to the gold colour of glass? it is almost more brilliant than the metal itself; nor, until we are accustomed to view these works thus, are we likely to under¬ stand them aright. We may wonder how such an astonishing effect can be practically produced, and one possessing such a charm, by a mere assemblage of so many colours, without a chance of elucidating the mystery, until we invest them with the character of jewellery. What progress this art had made, as ornamentally used in this country during the Saxon era, we have no means of ascertaining; but that they may have attempted ornament in it, by depicting simple patterns of zig-zag or otherwise, is possible, by subdividing the several pieces by stone, wood, or lead, so arranged as to form the outline, and to produce the required pattern and effect. As, however, this must always be a subject for conjecture, that which is certain shall now come under our notice. his own • They were indeed commands given to Moses from God himself: “And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.” Numbers, chap. i. verse 52. STAINED DURING T GLASS ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CENTURIES. THE TWELFTH CENTURY. In speaking of this epoch, which in architecture as well as glass comes within the denomi¬ nation of Norman, we will take into consideration, under the head of this style, some of the earliest examples extant or on record, and include such others as it may be necessary to adduce, down to the thirteenth century; the principles of construction having continued the same, with slight differ¬ ence, during all this period of time. This era, although abounding in symbolism, might well be denominated the heraldic style in embryo, for its effects rest almost entirely upon the same prin¬ ciples as that science; and, as the most beautiful compositions in stained glass are produced from the accidental colouring of blazon, so is this style entirely constructed and regulated by the counter¬ change of gems in like manner; and undoubtedly it is at once the most superb and magnificent of all the styles ever used or attempted in this art. In fact, no assemblage of colours can by any means surpass the grandeur, magnificence, and mystical effect of the rich borders composed of minute pieces of all the recognised colours, blended so harmoniously as never to clash, but pro¬ ducing an inconceivable unity of design by their intermixture. It must be observed that the bor¬ ders usually contained all the colours which the artists could command. These borders were con¬ structed by intersections of gold-colour or pearl, which subdivided them into various small forms or panels, usually circular, or tending to that shape, by which means they obtained two distinct grounds for colour, which were almost invariably ruby and sapphire; the ornament thereon being tinted with all the other remaining colours. But to accomplish the proper effect, and to prevent the appearance of heaviness by blazoning colour on colour, all these after-tints were kept of a pale and neutral kind, approaching to white, all the ornaments of the border being by this means approxi¬ mated to metal by their paleness, and thus preserving the principles and rules of blazon, with all the effect of comprehensive colouring.* These borders inclosed the main body of the window, which usually contained intersections so interwoven as to form circles, ovals, lozenges, and other fantastic forms, in the principal of which were placed the illustrative parts, t consisting of subjects or sym¬ bolical devices; J nor was it uncommon in these times to insert others than those immediately relating to Scripture, such for instance as persons of various trades and vocations, who contributed to erect such works, and placed in the medallions subjects symbolizing their calling, such as the story of Ruth for agriculturists, &c. But, although these entablatures contained the principal story and interest of the window, yet they were always kept small and subordinate, because they were less beautiful, that is, contri¬ buted less to the general effect, although possessing more pictorial interest, than the backgrounds. The mode of constructing the figures and their accompaniments in the medallions was conventional, the same manner continuing during the epoch of which we are now speaking; and it is to be remarked that the same habit and mode prevailed during this time amongst all practitioners, in this, as in other countries, whether in stained glass, fresco, polychromatic ornament, heraldry, or tapestry. The inva¬ riable colours for the backgrounds of the medallions were sapphire or ruby (always one of these), ex¬ isting in one broad colour in the same panel or shape. The curious and quaint buildings depicted on them are in no wise natural, but displayed, after the manner of charges in heraldry, in a sort of tier § over each other in the same panel, and sometimes the same figures, shewing a subject of Scripture in one part, and its exemplification or moral in the other, both being exhibited in the same panel, without even an attempt to make them a portraiture of nature; and yet, with seldom more than three or four figures, they contrived symbolically so clearly to express their works, as to * See Borders of Plates: St. Peter's, Stepney; Centre Opening of Bromley St. Leonard's; and East Window of Trinity Church, Brompton. Ibid. J See Side Windows, Bromley St. Leonard’s. $ See upper spandrel of St. Thomas’s, Winchester. 10 STAINED GLASS make them intelligible to the meanest capacity. Thus, where they portrayed water, it was by wavy lines of grey and white, or clouds nebulae, precisely as in heraldry. Nor did they ever attempt to make their works assume the effect of an ordinary picture by the introduction of landscape, which was studiously avoided ; but they invariably gave the same emblazoned effect that is produced by needle or woven-work. Architecture, figures, animals, utensils, &c., they placed on the same ground, and independent of any base for them to rest on; and when they required to represent trees they were merely bulbs on stems, which they coloured in ruby, sapphire, topaz, or amethyst, most unlike nature truly; and yet by this means introducing the required colour, their primary object, they arrived at the desired effect. Next to the principal or larger medallions were minor ones, formed in like manner by the interweaving of the same intersections, which were usually filled by quaint emblems or attributes, relating to Christian martyrdoms, or to the subjects in the principal ones, or were embellished by some appropriate ornament in unison with the border. 1 he remainder, constituting the back-ground, was mosaically constructed of sapphire, topaz, and ruby, and was usually reticulated by the ruby being introduced in stripes crossing each other on the sapphire ground, and forming it thereby into squares, * * * § with small pieces of gold-colour at the angles, by which an assemblage of the primitive colours was produced in such a manner as to create a magnificence of colouring not to be comprehended by any description, nor, perhaps, to be obtained by any other means. The works of stained glass during this epoch are so exactly in unison with the illuminated MSS. of the time, and so much after the manner of the Bayeux Tapestry, that it requires no further proof to convince us that the ancients were not (as thought by some) so much deficient in the know¬ ledge of drawing and perspective, as possessed of peculiar notions of their own in carrying out their extraordinary conceptions, f a fact which will not be doubted by any who have once attempted to make themselves masters of their style. The celebrated Abb£ Suger states, that he procured “ the best artists from all countries;' to construct his windows for the church of St. Denis, in the twelfth century : and when we take into consideration the concentration of talent exhibited on this occasion, and that they combined all the necessities of the art in each person, being at once chemists, glass manufacturers, artists, colour¬ ists, glass-painters, and glaziers—a sphere of action requiring a vast scope of talent it would be a strange assumption that they could not have drawn less conventionally if they had desired it, espe¬ cially as, in this instance, artists from all countries agreed in practice. Their drawing is indeed too unlike nature to seem an attempt at, or even a caricature of it, and too much ability is exhibited, especially in the delineation of the countenance, to doubt their competency. This will be more evident to us, if we study the perfection of their colouring and ornaments, which are not only truth¬ fully obedient in their character and design, but are pencilled with an astonishing care, and almost invariably so finely and minutely executed, that they will vie with modem productions, either on paper or glass. Their knowledge of effect they exhibited by using vigorous and bolder lines where requisite for that purpose. These principles of drawing, continuing as they did invariable th rough two centuries and a quarter, naturally imply that if any other mode of delineation had been desirable it would have been readily accomplished with nature present to copy from. An able antiquarian author J has so aptly expressed himself on viewing specimens of this art, (of rather later date, but appropriately to the feelings which those of this era are calculated to inspire,) that we here quote it. “ So brilliant,” says he, “ are these windows, that it would seem in fact as though the artist had dipped his pencil in turn in a solution of amethyst, topaz, ruby, grenate, and emerald.” This is most charmingly expressed, but by no means conveys an exaggerated idea of the feeling which works of this art are calculated to produce; $ and the different works of each succeeding period * See Bromley St. Leonard’s, St. Peter’s Stepney, and Trinity window, Brompton. -f- This will be best understood by referring to the Plate of St. Thomas, Winchester, especially the upper spandrel, and Ely Cathedral, as being most faithful to this style; the medallions of St. Peter’s being less so, from being required to avoid conventionalism as much as possible. \ “ Biographical, Archaiological, and Picturesque Tour." Dibdin. § “ The curious oriental reds, yellows, blews, and greens in glasse-painting, especially when the sun shines, doe much refresh the spirits. After this manner did Dr. R. revive the spirits of a poor distracted gentleman, for whereas his former physitian shutt up his win- DURING THE ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CENTURIES. II impart the same impression more or less varied, although standard and continuous in style of com¬ position as subservient to architecture. In the style however of which we are speaking, from the basis of the medallions of the back¬ grounds and of the borders being sapphire, this is in consequence the prevailing colour, and the general impression is therefore that they have this effect; nor is this difficult to account for, the orna¬ mental parts in continuation in the decoration of the apse, being usually blue powdered with golden stars; * but, from the intermixture of so many other colours in so many minute particles, distributed by the different patterns and intersections, the whole effect in the distance is a most glorious purple, the glow of which, as just cited, Dr. Dibdin has so well and so rapturously expressed. Nevertheless, although these works were so magnificent, they were never gaudy, possessing as they did such a prevalent quantity of blue, t which was ever most intense, yet so qualified and subdued as to reduce it to harmony with the rest. The same was the case in all the other colours except ruby, so that, by making all the other colours retiring, this was brought out in all its radiancy, a circumstance which furnishes the main reason why the ruby of the antique is thought to be so much superior in tincture to the modem, when in reality its apparent richness is solely from its tasteful application. By the repose of these ancient models (seldom met with in modern produc¬ tions) it was provided that windows should not appear as so many separate ornaments, and kill by their vividness and gaudiness every thing else, but that they should amalgamate, unite, and blend into one comprehensive harmony all the other pails and features, preserving a sobriety and solemnity so essential to true taste, and bringing together into one whole, stained windows, fresco-painting, tapes¬ try, and all the other accessories of religious edifices. In designs for this style it has evidently been felt as a principle of taste, that all its features and intersections should be kept as much as possible to the complete or half circle; for, although other forms, such as lozenge and quatrefoil, were sometimes used, the former is most primitive, pure, and in unison with the arch, a thing of paramount importance, deviating only in the minor parts by ingeniously, and as it were coquettishly, interlacing the outline of the plan, thus uniting the principles of this art with that of the architect, t As this art flourished during the twelfth century, it is highly probable that its mosaic character was derived mostly from the East, by the warriors and pilgrims during the earlier Crusades, first probably in the painting and decoration, as in the Moorish palaces in Spain, and then in glass, so soon as the combining of the various pieces together was found to be practicable. We will now examine the probable difficulties which the operators in these primitive times had to contend with, as well as the advantages which they possessed in carrying out their plans. From their works which are now remaining, we know that they had the power and command of eveiy possible variety of colours which were or ever can be necessary. There can be therefore no doubt on this point. <> Nor is this to be wondered at, when we take into consideration, that for the several works it was then the custom to obtain glass-manufacturers as well as glass-workers from many countries, amongst whom there seemed to be a general understanding, a sort of free-masonry, for their common object. Nevertheless, they must have laboured under great disadvantages in regard to the manu¬ facture of their material, it being on record that in their early works the separate pieces did not in general exhibit a size beyond from four to five inches, and these of such various thickness, and so dons and kept him in utter dnrknesse, he did open his window lids, and let in the light, and filled his windows with glasses of curious tinctures, which the distempered person would always be looking on, and it did conduce to the quieting of his disturbed spmts."-Aubrey, >» Anecdotes and Traditions, edited for the Camden Society by W. J. Thoms, Esq., p. 96. * “ The figure of the three triangles," says Rennet, “ intersected and made of five lines, is called the Pentangle of Solomon, and, when it is delineated in the body of a man, it is pretended to touch and point out the five places wherein our Saviour was wounded, and therefore there was an old superstitious conceit that the figure was a Fuga Demonum-the devils were afraid of it.”—Anecdotes and Traditions, p. 97. -j- For clearness, the description will now be by colours, not by gems and metals as heretofore. + See Plate of Thurlow Memorial, in Norwich Cathedral. $ The. Author has an original border of glass of this date, containing ruby, blue, green, purple, and yellow, in all variety: it is part of the Suger glass of St. Denis, from the Museum des Petits Augustines. 12 STAINED GLASS unequally rude and rough on the surface, as to bear evidence of their want of power and science in the making of it to anything like an even surface, and of their not possessing any method by which they could regulate and depend upon the manufacture. Nor were they better practised in such colours as were not solid in their mass, or, as it is technically called, flashed or coated, which is always * the case in ruby, sometimes in blue; the ancient specimens of these glasses being strangely irregular and de¬ fective as a material, as well as in evenness of colour. This, though clearly a defect, and not aimed at as it did not exist in the solid colours, contributed much to their effect, and it is not to be doubted that the irregularity of their glass, although not sought for, was well calculated to produce a glisten¬ ing and gem-like effect, of which the later and more evenly manufactured glass, superior as it is in quality, is incapable. It is pretty clear, therefore, that these primitive manufacturers did not understand the method of blowing glass, but that they fused their coloured metals in earthen pots or crucibles, and then cast them as nearly as possible to the requisite sizes, afterwards groozing them to the exact shape wanted, which must have involved great labour and pains, as the use of the diamond in cutting glass was not known until the sixteenth century ; and as Suger says that they were in his case lodged and provisioned during the operation, it is clear that all was done on the spot, + certain officials belonging to the monastery being commissioned to the surveillance of the valuables con¬ cerned therein and pertaining to its manufacture. Much error has existed in the supposition, that the depth of effect produced by these early examples is dependent on their thickness. Such is not generally the case, for it varied very much, even in the same piece; for example, plates of glass may be made from half an inch upwards in thickness, and be nearly if not quite colourless, even when placed on white paper ; whilst another sheet of glass, only one-twelfth of an inch in thickness, may possess fullness of colour of a greenish or any other hue, precisely because the material of which the glass is made gives it that tone in its fusion. In fact, this is the constituent colour; and such was the case in the works we now treat of, the substance having scarcely any influence over it. Never¬ theless, it is the case, that much of the early glass is thicker than that used in the later ages, particu¬ larly in the Perpendicular period, and in many instances at the present day. Much difference of opinion has existed as to whether the ancient glass-painters planned their own works, some persons attributing this portion to the monks, or special artists educated for that purpose. But Suger says, “We have had painted a series of windows,” &c.; nor does he advert to himself, his brother ecclesiastics, or any special artist, as having had any influence over the con¬ struction of the designs. We may therefore probably conclude that the whole art was concentrated in the persons who made the windows, the parties requiring such works having then, as at present, the power to influence the productions only so far as suggestion of subjects, inscriptions, &c., the general style being worked out by the artists, in conformity with the architecture and their seals, to which they bear a close affinity. Proceeding in due order, we now have to treat of their painting. The lead which combined the glass constituted the main outlines, the principal plan, and the general features of their design; and on these the effect chiefly depended. The lead used in these times was less broad than that of the present day, and seldom varied in size, whereas many sizes are now used in the same composi¬ tion, by which means all the various effects of different breadths of outline can be obtained. This object was thus accomplished by artificially adding to the breadth of the lead by blacking in, or painting an additional breadth in opaque colour on the glass itself. The various pieces which the lead confined together were veiy small, and the ornaments and pencilling upon them most elaborate; and, though so unimportant to the general effect, they were usually done with a care and minuteness i ne juunor nas a nne modem example ( ruuy, manuiaciurea solid 11 abraded on yellow material. +J" Sonify of ifye Qtjaitcel of Stoliipr, ‘Primeft Gljunl), Dorfefl)inr. mm STAINED GLASS DURING TIIE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. This century presents another style, which was indeed commenced in the last, at once so dif¬ ferent in all its conceptions and elaborations, that it will still be necessary to enter into some brief notice of its architectural character. It is denominated Decorated, by some Second-Pointed. “ The Gothic architecture of the fourteenth century differed considerably from that of the preceding one, particularly in the vaulting and the formation of the windows ; the vaulting became more decorated and divided into various angular compartments, forming a sort of tracery, ornamented at the intersections with foliated orbs, carved heads, and other embossed work. The columns were clustered, frequently with rich foliated capitals; the windows were greatly enlarged, and divided into several lights by stone mullions, ramified into various forms in the upper part, more particularly in the great eastern and western windows, which frequently occupied nearly the whole width of the nave or choir, and were carried up almost as high as the vaulting. The arches of door-ways, monuments, &c., were often very richly ornamented on the sides with foliage, generally known by the name of crockets, and the pinnacles were usually enriched in the same manner. In the early part of this century the arches were also frequently ornamented with rows of rose-buds in the hollow mouldings. In this century also prevailed that singular arch formed of four segments of circles contrasted, like an ogee moulding. Buttresses terminating in pinnacles, and sometimes ornamented with tracery, were much used in door-ways, tombs, piscinae, &c., where slender pillars had been employed in the preceding centuiy for the same purpose.” * As the examples of this period are numerous in architecture, so also are they in decoration and in glass, in which so much talent in designing was shewn, so great a mastery and science exhi¬ bited in their detail, which was ever correct though various, that we admire every fresh example which presents itself to our view. For purity of conception and plan the east window of Bristol cathedral possesses by far the finest remains of this period, though Exeter cathedral also in its east window has some remarkably good examples, whilst York Minster contains a still greater variety and quantity of the magnificent kind ; and in the lighter styles, Norbury church in Derbyshire, t Trum- pington church, Cambridgeshire, t All Saints, York, &c„ are of equal interest. In speaking of the gene¬ ral mode of constructing the different designs, we shall confine ourselves principally to such specimens as are calculated to exemplify the style, without reference to their being perfect in themselves, for, as “ by the foot we know Hercules,” so does the eye of the artist read in a remnant the original pic¬ ture ; and by this we would impress the necessity of the most careful preservation of even small and seemingly unimportant remains, which often present the best examples in detail. The first thing to be remarked in this style is the total departure from the trefoiled kind of ornaments in the termina¬ tion of the foliated parts, which was so prevalent in the preceding century, and a complete metamor¬ phosis in the borders of the windows. The artist now resorted to a much bolder but less mosaic kind of display, yet equally if not more heraldic in developement. The ornament consisted princi¬ pally of vines and vine-leaves interspersed with grapes, which have a symbolic reference to the words of our Lord, “ I am the vine, and ye are the branchesnor were they confined to the borders, but made to flourish over each opening of the window, so as to form medallions or panels for the figures by their intertwining, as in the east window of Bristol cathedral, i Vine-leaves, however, * Vide Lysons’s “ Magna Britannia, Cambridgeshire," p. 53. These have been engraved by Lysons’s in his “ Magna Britannia, Derbyshire ; Architecture." Much glass of the same epoch, and probably by the same hand, exists X Engraved in Lysons’s “ Cambridgeshire.” ^ Vide Plate of West Window, Snettisliam Church. and lately in Bowman's “ Specimens of Ecclesiastical i the neighbouring church of Checkley. Staffordshire. 40 STAINED GLASS were not confined to foliated parts, but applied in their full breadth to the canopies * and other archi¬ tectural representations in the place of crockets, f Although the principle of medallions was par¬ tially retained in this style, yet the system of minute and elaborate mosaics was almost wholly dis¬ continued, the main features being foliaged borders with figures and canopies, which generally occupied the entire opening, as in Tewkesbury Abbey church; sometimes a series of figures placed each over the others, with storied or escutcheonal medallions under each, t was introduced where the windows were lofty, as seen in many examples in York Minster, and this was a favourite mode of construction at the time. Not unfrequently a large portion below the figures (where they were singly used) was portrayed in rich and minute mosaics, as is to be seen in the principal window of the Lady Chapel of St. Chad’s, Birmingham. § This style also embraced the lighter kind of non- reticulated glass, such as greenish-white grounds, either of patterns or quarrels, generally banded, with foliage creeping over the whole surface, as in the latter part of the preceding century; with these were occasionally used borders, medallions of subjects, heraldic escutcheons, bosses, &c., with various geometrical lines of colour, II and emblems, heraldry, or ornaments introduced in the tracery. It was also customary in these times to insert square compartments, containing figures and canopies on these foliaged grounds of white and pattern, continuing through a series of windows, so as to form a band of colour a little higher than the centre of the opening, the lighter ground appearing above and below. It was the practice to display figures and canopies independently, and not confined to the square, letting the pinnacles and irregular parts take an accidental position on these light grounds. As the introduction of this style necessitated the rendering the designs into larger fea¬ tures by figure and canopy, it might naturally be concluded that the several parts would require more painting and shadowing, and therefore it may be as well here to enter into a consideration of this (a common mistake of nearly all modern painters,) as well as into the true principles of constructing decorated designs. As the height of the lights was commonly five times their width from the cill to the tracery, it left a large space to deal with, to diminish which they first applied a border of run¬ ning foliage of vine-leaves and stems, grapes, birds, &c., and next to the mullion an outer margin of white, to delineate the architectural shapes. Between the borders, and occupying about two-thirds of the height, was the canopy, drawn upon simple outline, and planned without attempt at perspective, similarly to those of monumental brasses, and consisting of straight-sided gables II pointed in an acute angle. These were in all their parts much enriched by patterns and detail, their grounds being diapered by damascenes of admirable design. As, therefore, no appearance of a recessed niche was attempted, so was shadow in a great measure unnecessary; nevertheless, they were not entirely without it, for, although the patterns much enriched the work, a certain shadow to mellow and subdue the glare was applied, but in such a skilful way as not superficially to appear evident. It has been thought by some that painting the glass on the exterior was not practised by the ancients, but nothing can be more erroneous, for this is common to every epoch. ** As the portion of each opening occupied by the border and canopy was so considerable, the space left for the figure was of necessity small, less, indeed, than one-third of the opening; a rule which was never lost sight of, as thereby they avoided colouring in large pieces. The figures (which seldom exceeded three feet in height, and were oftener much less,) rested on a kind of battlemented frieze, (for pedestals, strictly speaking, were never used,) which sometimes bore the name of the saint inscribed thereon, or some other cha¬ racteristic ornament. By these means the work acquired a broad and mosaic effect, not broken by * Vide Plate of East Window of Killamarsh Church, Derbyshire. 4 Amongst the many examples are very fine ones of this description, supposed to be originally from Lichfield Cathedral, now in the church of Norton near Twycroft: these the Author recently restored for Lord Howe, and has a facsimile of one of them. t See Plate of the Choir Windows, St. Chad's, Birmingham. This window was drawn and also executed by the Author, from which his name has somehow been obliterated. || See Plate of East Window, Bishopstone Church, Herefordshire. f Vide Plate of East Windows of Killamarsh, Blackbrook, and St. Chad’s, Birmingham. ** The Author has recently restored for J. H. P. Oakes, Esq. the East Window of Hessett Church near Bury St. Edmund's: it is decorated glass of the early part of the fourteenth century, which is shadowed entirely on the outside of it, the lines of depiction being the only painting on the inside. This glass, which is of the highest order of finish, is sufficient proof of this practice, independently of other general evidences, of which the Author has considerable quantities of different examples and periods in his possession. DURING THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 41 shadowed subdivisions into paltry patches, but suitable to any aspect. In the churches of St. Ouen and St. Maclou, at Rouen, are some very singular examples, which we will advert to from their being remarkable exceptions to foreign construction in general. In these churches the disposition to render the pictorial interest of the windows subservient to the more important object of effect is especially evinced. Many windows in succession are seen lofty in the extreme; at the foot of each opening only a small portion, namely, a little more than its width in height, is devoted to the figures or pictorial part, which rest on the dll, and without the semblance of a pedestal. The part above, which constitutes nearly the whole space of the light, is filled with entire and lofty canopies, literally crowded with figures, which is qccomplished by introducing translucent tracery, and so forming innumerable little niches, in which are representations of many saintly personages, angels, &c„ placed as finials to the tabernacle work.* Nor are the metal parts of these canopies alike; some being entirely gold colour, others white, and in many instances gold and white. The grounds and aper¬ tures being different in each successive window, produce in the whole a most charming variety of effect; but it is as a whole that they are so admirable; taken singly, there is not perhaps one that would’produce any striking effect. And thus it is in the present day; we erect perhaps one win¬ dow, which may be excellent in itself, and we wonder that it has not the charm that such as these possess, that it has not all the beauties of all the works that are still in our memory, and conclude that the art is lost; and for these reasons there are few works of the present day that are not spoiled by attempting too much in each. Hence, perhaps, the remains of our ancient works have been so much neglected; for, being mostly in small patches, and possessing neither completeness nor the ad¬ vantage of effect in masses, they have been thought unimportant, until the taste and judgment of the artist or connoisseur has rescued them from oblivion, by pointing out their real merit and value. The manner of drawing the figures of this period, which are larger than in the medallions of the last century, bears a great resemblance to the style and details of the great and other seals of the time, and is equally like the monumental brasses of this date, that is, quite upon conventional principles. In the early periods of this style the flesh parts were painted on glass of light madder colour, but afterwards white was continuously used. lu the latter case the hair and beard were commonly stained yellow. It is not clear that the art of producing yellow on white was known before this period, and even in this time it was seldom done when the colour could be conveniently introduced by leading. The nimbus of this period was added in various colours, ruby, blue, yellow, green, pur- pure &c„ regulated by the grounds with which they came in contact, and without any attempt to copy a reality, but aiming at the primary object, effect. Many curious evidences of this may be seen in the clerestory windows of St. Ouen, at Rouen, where the hair, beard, and even the eye¬ brows of the figures are variously coloured in ruby, blue, green, &c„ clearly shewing that a balance and harmony of colour was deemed of the first importance, without reference to the natural appear¬ ance. Nor were the principles of Christian symbolism and heraldry departed from, for the skill which was exercised in the colouring universally provided that colour should not clash with colour ; nor did this occur, even in the draperies of the figures, but was avoided by fimbriating them with rich orfreys and edgings of gold or silver, or vice versa. Christian and heraldic symbolism was, indeed, unsparingly introdnced at this period, both on glass and in architecture, for all religious establishments, sees, monasteries, nunneries, and orders, kings, princes, prelates, nobles, knights, castles, and corporations, had their several heraldic distinctions and insignia, as shewn by their escutcheons, seals, &c. Universally, therefore, was this taste adopted in this great epoch of architec¬ ture and thus was produced that grand uniformity of ideas which pervaded the whole body of archi¬ tects, sculptors, painters, engravers, and carvers, as one man; hence, those wonders of this age, the remains of some of which are still left for us to contemplate. Many single works will exemplify this - but for example, we will instance one. It is a monumental brass which still exists, though in a’mutilated state, in Rising church, Norfolk, and we will compare its details with the splendid • See Hue of East Window, St. Mary’s, Truro, Cornwall, wbieh, though of fie Perpendicu.ar, will give . tolerable idea. 42 STAINED GLASS decorated glass which partly fills the windows of the same church. We allude to the monument of Sir Hugh Hastings, a portion of which is so well shewn in Carter’s Painting and Sculpture, (PI. 71,) and more recently in Waller’s Monumental Brasses. In this we have at once a model for stained glass, decorative painting, colouring, armour, and architecture : in short we obtain an appropriate design for a window from this brass plate, which was once enamelled in brilliant colours. For these reasons, from the encaustic tile of the floor to the bosses of the roof—nay, from the crypt to the spire, we find one succession of grandly uniform ideas. Pattern glazing was much used at this time; that is to say, various fanciful patterns depicted by lead lines only, sometimes in pale quaint colours, or otherwise in plain greenish glass. These were used mostly in the clerestory or the subordinate windows of the edifice; but not unfrequently (probably for economy) in the aisles. They were without any painting, and merely a higher order of glazing than ordinary quarrels. Many examples exist at Abbeville, Chartres, Rouen, &c., and most of the continental churches; the nearest, however, to us, are in the ancient church, and at the convent in the Basse Ville, at Calais : some of them are as old as this epoch, but they are still renewed and practised at the present day. They have a very ornamental and agreeable appearance, and are in good taste provided the patterns be kept in unison with the style. * We now proceed to the examination and description of some examples still extant, with a view to ascertain the main principles, and, as much as possible, the various kinds of design and detail, which the artists of this epoch adopted. The first example which we will cite is the East window of Bristol Cathedral, which is foliated, and is selected principally because it is a singular exception in the present remains of Decorated design, from its being so truly in harmony with the foliage in the architectural orna¬ ments of this period, and from its principles of non-architectural embellishment in the way of canopy and tabernacle work, being as it were the connecting link from the preceding style in its planning and drawing, and assimilating only in a slight degree to the centre opening in the triplet at West- well. t The choir, of which this window is a portion, is attributed to Knowles, who became abbot in 1303. Speaking of it, Lysons says, “ This bears evident marks of being part of the building erected by Abbot Knowles, in the latter end of the reign of Edward the First; for, besides the beautiful east window and the arches under it, which agree with the style of architecture then in use, the arms (England as used before Edward III.; of Clare, Earl of Gloucester, the last of which family died in 1314; of Berkeley, with the addition of the crosses, first added by Thomas Lord Berkeley, who succeeded to the barony 9th Edw. I.,) which appear below the window, serve very nearly to ascertain the date.? This window is most simple and beautiful in its tracery, and equally so in its glass; it consists, or rather did consist, of foliage throughout, without the slightest mixture of archi¬ tectural features. The principal spandrels are composed of circumscribed medallions, on which are displayed as many shields of the shape of the inverted arch, bearing the arms of Berkeley, Clare, Despencer, Warren, Beauchamp, Bolmn, Mowbray, Willington, Montague, Bradstone, &c„ the remainder of the space being filled up with rich and luxuriant foliage of vine-leaves and grapes, on ruby and blue grounds, alternated and richly diapered, a border running round each spandrel. The lower part is of nine lights, each of which is surrounded with a flowing border of exceeding richness which incloses the principal part of the design. This latter exhibits a fine and free distribution of foliage running completely over each panel, the stems so contrived that they form oval or parallelo- , . The gkZed the whole of the windoWH of the new rhurch at Osmaston, in Derbyshire, in this manner, and intro,lured the smne feeling ,n all the windows of St. James's Chureb, Paddington. F See ante, page 33. + Gloucester Antiquities, p. 29. Lysons has partly but imperfectly represented this glass in Plates XCIII. and XCIV. of the same DURING THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 43 gram shapes, which contain figures of prophets and apostles holding inscribed labels.* Unfortu¬ nately this glass is at present in a very imperfect, fragmental, and mutilated state, and requires a very careful examination to ascertain and judge of its original perfection ; the whole of the back-grounds have however been most elaborately damascened, and it was composed of material of the highest order of beautiful colours. In its original state this window must have been a most glorious exam¬ ple and a more charming conception has perhaps scarcely ever existed, containing as it did gor¬ geous heraldry, the threading vine, and the wine-like effect of the enriched ruby counterchanged with the damascened blue, producing an entire display of symbolic and heraldic blazonry, but at the same time incorporating figures which still preserved a pictorial interest, and thus keeping up the feeling of the preceding styles by incorporating medallioned effects, and so making each separate aperture of the window a perfectly decorated enrichment, without deteriorating the art by interfering with the architecture, as in the succeeding style, which produced figure and canopy, architecture within architecture, and as it were assumed the province of the statuary. There is an objection felt now to placing armorial bearings in east windows from a fear of vio¬ lating true principles; but here, as we have shewn, it was abundantly used, and this is only one amongst the many examples which prove it to be quite in accordance with ancient practice. ° Canopied design is next in order, of which there are many varieties, adapted according to the circumstances of their situations. The windows to the north and south of the choir of Bristol cathe. dral have been filled with heraldic figures and canopies, one of which still remains, but it is dis¬ jointed. This is circumscribed by a border of semi-lozenges of yellow on a ruby ground; the cen¬ tral part contains a knight in plated armour, with a gorget of mail; he bears a shield on whic is emblazoned his arms, gules a cross argent, and he is holding a lance, to which is affixed a pennon, emblazoned as his shield. This figure is on an enriched blue ground, on each side of which rise columns terminating with pinnacles, which support a lofty canopy composed of a ™ry a cute crocketed gable, with a trefoil arch beneath it. Many shapes and paneled entablatures of differen colours are introduced, surmounted by tabernacle work and buttresses on an entire ruby ground. These windows further exemplify the practice not only of introducing heraldry, but heraldic figures, into the most sacred parts of a church. It is worthy of remark, that in the whole of this glass the diapering was not accomplished, as in the later examples, by cleaning out the patterns from dark grounds, but by developing them with thinly described lines, and occasionally by reticulating and producing a lace-work hke effect. The whole character of these works has been exceedingly bold, but the minor parts and the details are most minutely and carefully pencilled. The windows, although they bear ample evidence of having been magnificently filled, are now principally occupied by mutilated remains, sadlyjumbled together. The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury possesses still some fine remains, which on an extensive scale further shew not only the identity of L principles of heraldry with those of stained glass, but the disposition at this time of freely intro¬ ducing figures of lay and military persons and heraldry into the sanctuary. These windows on the north and south of the chancel of this church, comprise knights, armour, arms, canopies and borders. The tracery parts consist of rich scrolls of vines, very similar in character to those m the East wm- I w of Bristol cathedral, but they are entirely white, excepting the centra boss, from which th ornament emanates, and are on a massive ruby ground richly diapered. The lower or pr.ncip 1 lights four of which are in each window, contain knights in complete armour of plate and mai each having a surcoat on which their several arms are emblazoned, one hand resting on the hit of the sword, which depends from the girdle, the other holding a lance. They represent Clare, Zouch, &c. t ; “ *" ’**■» ” a Sculpture.” 44 STAINED GLASS they are on highly enriched back-grounds of blue, green, &c. and are bounded by columns pencilled as masonry as high as the commencement of the canopies, which they seemingly support, these being pinnacled, crocketed, and buttressed upwards. Exterior to these is an enriched border, which incloses the whole subject. The canopies are very lofty and spiral, acutely pointed in their upper parts, and pierced in many forms, representing windows, &c. differently coloured; the lower parts are hexagonal, having a sort of roof to connect them with the upper portions. Many bands of colour of different tints are introduced, and an arch beneath spans the width. The parts below the figures were originally pedestalled in the form of panels, containing coats of arms, inclosed within a border formed of a quatrefoil and square combined.* Some of these are still to be seen distributed amongst the fragments in the different windows; indeed the whole of these still beautiful remains are in a lamentably neglected and imperfect state. Many other instances exist, shewing the heraldic taste of this period in connexion with this art, as in the Armorial Window in York Minster, which is one of the windows in the north aisle, in which nearly the whole sixteen remain filled with stained glass. This window has three quatrefoils in the tracery, which constitute the main part of it; they are filled with foliaged ornaments similar to those at Tewkesbury abbey. Below these are the three principal lights, which contain six subjects, each under a lofty canopy, and at the bottom of the centre light, is a mortuary figure kneeling. Interspersed with these are coats of arms and figures in coats armorial: the latter are, first, the Emperor, King of Arragon, Old England, Old France, the same repeated, Beauchamp, Clare, Beauchamp repeated, Eoss, Mowbray, Clifford, and Percy. The shields of arms are, from the top downwards, St. Peter, the Imperial, England, Old France, Arragon King of the Romans, Castile and Leon, Jerusalem, and Navarre. Each light is inclosed with an armorial border of the imperial eagles and the regal lions rampant, each on their proper field. Although this window is more especially heraldic, from which circumstance it is termed the Armonal Window, still there are few of the windows of this age in the same Minster which have not a liberal sprinkling of heraldry, and even in this instance it is, as previously shewn, intermixed with sacred subjects, a remark which will apply to most other edifices. The fact is, chivalry and the Catholic religion were so intimately combined in the middle ages, that the free use of what seems to us merely secular ornaments need not create surprise. Arms were, in a sense, religions emblems • they pertained to the soldier of the cross; they could not be separated from the Church in whose service the bearers of them were proud to fight. The very origin of heraldry, the crusading expeditions, was religious; and it is necessary in considering the works of the ancient artists to bear this in mind, lest we should attribute to them a secular spirit, which they were far from possessing t The great west window of York Minster is also a fine example of figures and canopies: in it are depicted the eight first archbishops, and eight saints of the Church; at the bottom of the window is much pattern and reticulated work, instead of pedestals, to elevate the lower row of figures from the bottom oi the all. In many instances in the same edifice and elsewhere, the figures of saints &c are exhfoded under canopies, and beneath them medallion subjects illustrating some event connected wr h their history; nor were these windows always occupied with coloured glass in foil design but quarrels ornamented and plain, frequently occurred a, different parts as a back-ground to fhe’ whole. Although single figures under canopies formed the prevalent style at this time, still an inclination to medalhoned legend lingered in the practice of placing subjects of two or more figures takLl Tf l C ° nfimng ^ l ° °” e °° m P artment - 88 in armorial window and taking care that each should be complete in itself. A good example of this description is in the * Vide Pedestal, in Pl.t, of Altar Window,, St. Chad',, Birmingham were 'SZ ‘Il h T M “ M ““"' P™™ “»= »f ™< whleh Someraet HenJd. Among,! them are tho.e of Ralph Henge'h.L and JohTof Gaunt.' W ™ d "‘"” ” P '° ““ “ ^ Nioho,,s Ch,,le ’' DURING THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 45 Church of All Saints, York, which is the last example which we shall bring under notice of the canopied style of this period. Here are represented two figures displayed on a ruby diapered back-ground, both under an acutely crocketed gable, arched underneath. The inter parts are highly enriched with various trefoiled and other ornaments: the back-ground of the gable is blue, (as high as its finial,) which is terminated by a rich horizontal band of gold and colour. Upon this are set three elaborate pinnacles, buttressed, the back-grounds of which are ruby as high as the buttresses, thus leaving the pinnacled parts of them to tower on the ground above, which is of white quarrels, having brown lines trickling over their surface with their terminals stained yellow. All the canopied parts are of gold colour, and the whole is inclosed with a foliated border of green, yellow, and white. This work is of the middle of the fourteenth century, at which time the power of staining yellow on white glass had been fully acquired, and no example which exists could better exhibit the difference between it and that which is coloured in the glass when manufactured, as it largely partakes of both. The Geometrical style next claims our notice: this, as was mentioned under the last epoch, was at all times plentifully used, more particularly in this century. The windows of the Chapter House of York Cathedral are amongst the earliest examples of this kind, and are completely filled with geometrical glass. Their date is of the earliest part of this century, viz. 1307. The borders of these windows are richly coloured and depicted by an undulating or wavy line running upwards by way of stem, from which sprout forth leaves into each reverse angle. These are all white; the ground of these bor¬ ders is ruby : a blue and a white margin next the jamb, and a green one next to the panel part of the window, make the border complete. The interior of the design is made up of flowing lines and lozenges of marginal colours intertwined, and many of these are of white glass painted brown, and have ornaments scraped on them. The whole ground of the window is of white, on which is shown threading and flowing foliage in brown lines, ingeniously and freely distributed. Over all, and em¬ blazoned on these general grounds, are medallions, bosses, subjects, &c., richly coloured. Trumpington Church, Cambridgeshire, possesses some small remains of rich geometrical glass, especially in the chancel, which is also of the early part of this centuiy. The principal spandrel of one of the windows has the arms of Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster, (Gules, three lions conjoined at the head in centre, argent.) em¬ blazoned on a triangular shield; the remaining portion of it is of foliaged lines and colours distri¬ buted, Beneath this are the two principal lights, which are composed of a border of leafage and colour interspersed, and inclose panels of geometrical lines principally formed by leading, which are rendered into threading margins by double lines painted near them on the glass ; a perpendicular stem runs up the middle of the compartment, stained yellow, from which the foliage is distributed over the whole surface of the work. At the central parts are bosses of yellow glass, having Hons’ heads (derived from the shield) thereon, t This window is somewhat remarkable from the circum¬ stance of. its exhibiting the power of staining yellow on white, and is the earliest instance of it winch we know of, being nearly two centuries anterior to its professed discovery by the Germans. It was * Vide Plate of Bishopstone Window, Herefordshire, which is constructed upon sunder principle ™,d in Shaw's “ Encyclopedia of Ornament," and in Browne's “ History of York Cathedral. t This window is imperfectly represented in Lyons's » Map,. Britannia,' Cambridgeshire, p. 58. A portion of this glass is 46 STAINED GLASS indeed commonly, although sparingly, used in this country in Decorated glass, but this example is an early instance of it. Geometrically patterned windows, after the manner of the last example, in many forms and varieties, were very prevalent throughout the Decorated period, and there are still many remains. Norbury Church, in Derbyshire, possesses some fine specimens of this style in the north and south side windows of the chancel. They much resemble in character those of the chap¬ ter-house in York Minster, and have shields of arms in each light, but very little other colour except in the borders. There are some considerable remains in Checkley Church, Staffordshire. The chancel of this church contains three windows (the eastern and the next one to it on each side) quite filled with stained glass, and in a remarkably good state of preservation. They appear, how¬ ever, to be composed of portions of several windows taken from the same edifice, and put together at a recent period. The style of the chancel is Decorated, and so similar in its details to that of the adjacent church of Norbury, (the stained glass in which in many respects much resembles this,) that it is probable they were the work of the same architect. The east window is a large one, of five lights, having plain intersecting mullions without folia¬ tions in the head. The general plan or pattern of the glass is composed of circles, inclosing double quatrefoils, and formed as usual by their lines of colour, with coloured bosses in the centre. The bor¬ ders are very rich, some of vine-leaves, others of an heraldic character, with castellated designs and fleurs-de-lis, and having a small exterior margin of white glass. The whole of the mosaic pattern not occupied by colour is graiselled, or covered with creeping vine-leaves and tendrils. There are two tiers of subjects in this window, extending in parallel rows one above the other, across it at equidistant points in the entire length. The lower tier comprises in the centre the Crucifixion under a trefoiled crocketed canopy; the ground of this and all the rest of the subjects being rich ruby, except that of the central upper one, which is blue. The side subjects in the lower tier are inclosed in a complex design, formed by the unison of a vesica with a square, the sides of which expand into semicircles. In one of these are three knights dressed entirely in chain mail, with flowing surcoats; a circum¬ stance which fixes the date of the windows at a period not much later than 1320, after which plate armour came gradually into use. This is another among the innumerable instances of the associa¬ tion of armoury and an heraldic feeling with stained glass. The upper tier contains small figures standing under trefoiled canopies; they are quite perfect; three of them are bishops in full vest¬ ments, the other two are saints. In the head of the window are circular ornaments and shields. The two side windows, each of three lights, are similar to the above, but the pattern of the back-ground varies from circles to plain quatrefoils and interlacing vesicas, probably as the parts have been brought together from various windows. There is in these however only one tier of me¬ dallions, about midway in the height. The grounds of these are, conversely to the east window, blue at the sides, and ruby in the centre. Here are the figures of the Virgin and Child, and of saints and apostles under canopies. Most of these have labels with inscriptions, in what are commonly called Lombardic characters, still very legible. One is “ Jacobus,” another, “ Johannesand they are very interesting as a very early instance of labels pendant from the figures, t instead of being placed under the feet. Another represents a kneeling figure, with an inscription in two lines across it. These windows are veiy fine in design, colour, and effect, and altogether must be considered as among the best specimens of the age which we possess. Merton College Chapel likewise contains some valuable remains of this kind. These, which are in the side-windows of that structure, much resemble in their general ground and treat¬ ment those of Trumpington church just named, the principal difference being, that in each open- * See note f ante, page 37. Lombardic capitals were also continuously used down to the time of Edward III. -f- See Plate of West Window, Snettisham church, Norfolk. DURING THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 47 ing, at about two-thirds the height of the windows from the cill, small square-headed compartments are inserted, quite independent of the design, on the ground of the window. These small compart¬ ments each contain canopies and figures most exquisitely treated; an arrangement which presents, from the continuation of the square compartments through a series of windows, the effect of a stiff band of colour on a light ground. It is a style now seldom used, from its only being suitable to side- windows, on account of the last-named circumstance. Excellent examples of these square-headed compartments exist also in the north aisle of Cockayne Hatley, in Bedfordshire, and in St. Mar¬ tin’s church, Stamford.* This, which was the most primitive mode of introducing effigy and architecture, seems to have led to that long favourite mode of planning, viz., figure and canopy com¬ prehensively throughout the whole opening. In the east window of Oxted Church, Surrey, are four large spandrels, quatrefoils, of about the middle of this century. They contain severally the Evangelical attributes, viz., the angel, the lion the calf, and the eagle ; they are most spiritedly designed, t and are displayed so nearly upon heraldic principles, as to admit of description by the ordinary rules of blazon. X They are boldly and vigorously painted in outline, and the grounds are highly enriched with diapered ornament. Some excellent though small remains of glass of this period are in the east window of Cranley Church, in Surrey. One of the spandrels contains the figure of Christ sitting in Judgment, which is chiefly remarkable from the globe in his hand, as emblematic of the world. On this is heraldically portrayed, in outline, the three great epochs. The lower half is wavy, intended to represent the flood; in the two upper quarters are displayed the tables of the law and the cross of redemption. Quarrels were much used throughout the whole of this epoch, sometimes with marginal bands, sometimes without, and complete in their several patterns, or with the ornament distributed through a number of them, as running over the entire window, these often receiving medallions with various sub¬ jects and devices. Reticulated work was also much used during this period, here and on the continent, of which Mr. Shaw has given examples (in his “ Encyclopaedia of Ornament”) from Altenburg, &c. It is worthy of remark, that at this period more green and purpure were introduced than in the pre¬ ceding epochs, especially in the draperies of the figures and in the foliaged parts, a marked indica¬ tion of its becoming less severely heraldic, these tints being very rarely introduced in heraldry; indeed, the very principle of figure and canopy is a sort of inroad upon the consistency of decoration, an assumption of the vocation of the architect and the statuary, and an indication of an approach towards a deterioration of this art. Having, therefore, in the preceding remarks endeavoured to explain and shew the chief varie¬ ties, and the ancient manner of constructing the designs for stained glass as connected with Decorated architecture, we deduce from them the following classification of the laws and leading features of this epoch: 1. Foliaged. —As in the East Window of Bristol Cathedral. 2. Canopied. —As in the Choir of Bristol Cathedral. the Church of Tewkesbury Abbey. the Armorial Window of York Minster. All Saints’ Church, York. * “ Hints on Glass Painting,” by an Amateur; Plate 12 represents an uncoloured example of this glass. Parker, Oxford, 1847- Exeter cathedral has some exquisite examples of Decorated glass of this kind in the east window, but it is the glass of the old Deco¬ rated window adapted at the time to the present Perpendicular window and its tracery, and thus presents the same anomaly that a late super¬ structure would upon an early style, the tracery parts not being in harmony, although the figures and canopies are beautiful despite their association. 4- See Plate of St. Petrock, Cornwall, the emblems in the spandrels of which are drawn from them. J This glass was originally removed from the spandrels of the north and south side chancel windows, previously to their restoration and adaptation to their present situation, (together with other new ones,) by the Author ; they are as follows1 st. Argent, an angel sejant proper, habited vert, wings displayed gules, nimbus azure, debruised by a label of the first, inscribed S. Matthaus, in Lombardic capitals -.—2nd. Argent, a lion proper (deep amber), winged gules, nimbus vert, a label as before, inscribed S. Marcus 3rd. Argent, a calf gules, unguled or, nimbus azure, winged vert, a label as before, inscribed S. Lucas 4th. Argent, an eagle proper, membered or, wings displayed vert, nimbus gules, a label as before, inscribed S. Johannes. 48 STAINED GLASS DURING THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 3. Geometrical. —As in Norbury Church, Derbyshire. Checkley Church, Staffordshire. the Chapter-house, York Minster. Trumpington Church, Cambridgeshire. Merton College Chapel. 4. Quarrel. —All that pertains to Geometrical may be applied to this, the only difference being the change of quarrel ground for geometrical. We will conclude our observations upon this style with the following document, which was evidently for the reinstatement of the Decorated glass in the present east window of Exeter cathedral. u On the 7th of March, 1391-2, the Dean and Chapter concluded an agreement with Robert Lyen, glasyer, and citizen of Exeter, (who on the preceding 28th of April had been sworn into the office of glasyer to this cathedral, with a salary of 26s. 8 d. per annum,) to glaze the great window newly made at the head of the church : it was covenanted that for every foot of new glass he should be paid 20 d., and for fitting the old glass, 3s. 4 d. per week, besides 2s. for his assistant.” * This con¬ tract relates to the present east window; “ the window newly made,” to the existing Perpendicular stone-work of it; and the “ old glass” to the present beautiful Decorated glass (which had been removed from the former window of its own character) now therein inserted. Vide Britton’s “ Exeter Cathedral,” p. 95. ©tatf tCCelt ttCmbjrtD irf 9i«M|am (%rtc|r fimfirlk ■B &J.ttonBns.%(nn0l^ ojJo^atBoiPiulterf ' Frintrt m Qolra »p ffl Mi &wtl)«tt. ^ItarTffinlioto lilarhbraok (lat|olir (Iljaprl. PUBLISHED BT JOHM WEA1E 59. HIGH H0130RN * RMMMNfiM! STAINED GLASS DURING T HE FIFTEEN T II C E N T URY, INCLUDING PALATIAL AND DOMESTIC. THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. The Third-Pointed or Perpendicular style was introduced at about 1377, and was wholly confined to this country. It presented such great architectural differences from the preceding style, that it scarcely appears to have directly emanated from it; yet, extensively as it was applied and highly as it was enriched, it never did acquire the grandeur, dignity, or magnificent conceptions of the De¬ corated, though it was practised in its various modifications from the reign of Richard the Second down to that of Henry the Eighth, a period of more than a century and a quarter. Although this style is an undoubted deterioration of ecclesiastical art and architecture, still many great and noble works were accomplished in it, amongst the chief of which are the cathedral of Winchester, as reinstated by the great William of Wykeham, and the choir of York Minster. In Dickinson’s History and Antiqui¬ ties of Southwell Minster it is stated, that “ From the time of King Edward the Third, when the departure from the chaste simplicity of the preceding ages first took place, almost every reign pro¬ duced some new species of ornament, or some modification of the old. About the death of King Henry the Sixth, or, at most, not later than that of his immediate successor, Gothic architecture is supposed to have arrived at its acme. There are, indeed, some few instances in the subsequent reigns of Henry the Seventh and Eighth, where the taste of the architect does not seem to have been corrupted by the prevailing rage for finery; but these are, in general, buildings which were begun under the preceding monarchs, where the designs were already formed, and, not unfrequently, where the edifice was so far erected as absolutely to dictate the particular mode in which it must be finished. These, however, are exceptions to the general style of the times; whether the taste in which they are built owes its adoption to necessity or to preference, the architecture of the age was what Warton has denominated * florid Gothic.’ It was ornament without beauty, prolusion without taste, labour without its ordinary consequences—magnificence ; without the smallest pretensions to taste, elegance, or harmony, it was splendid affectation, meretricious frippery.” * It is difficult at this time to conjecture the cause of this sudden change, but a little reflection will enable us to form some judgment upon the matter. From the slight remarks which have been made upon the pre¬ ceding styles, it will be found that the greatness of Gothic architecture was analogous and coeval with the days of the Crusades, of chivalry, of ecclesiastical and military grandeur, when kings; prelates, knights, and squires, mingled in devotional and processional display, when churchmen and laity devoted their energies and means to Christianity and its edifices, when in fact each baron was powerful in his hereditary domains, and ever ready to take up arms for his faith, his honour, and his king. But, as civilization and the arts of peace progressed, domestic comfort was more studied than military strength, and thus ecclesiastical architecture superseded the castellated even in its applica¬ tion to secular buildings. Then were the airy halls constructed, with their vast windows of rich armorial decorations; and hence something of a secular character was imparted to aits, which had hitherto been exclusively applied to religious purposes. There are perhaps few of our churches which have not some remains of Perpendicular glass in them, either of the earlier or later kind, so extensively was this art applied during the times of which we are speaking. But its character, details, treatment, and effects, were as different from those of the preceding period as was the architecture to which it was adapted. The mosaic, medallion, and geometrical forms of enrichment were now entirely abandoned, and a much greater proportion of white glass was introduced than in any of the foregoing styles, which was obviously to preserve as * Vide Dickinson’s “Antiquities, Historical, Chronolographical, &c., of Nottinghamshire, comprising Southwell,” pp. 78, 79. O 50 STAINED GLASS much light as possible, and at the same time to chasten and subdue it; which purpose they accom¬ plished, although by a comparative impoverishment of effect, which fell far short of the exceeding rich¬ ness of the preceding styles, and this was in a great measure owing to the white glass of the whole of this period being less tinted, and not of that greenish tone which was so universal in the earlier windows. All the glass of this epoch is of a much thinner substance, and more fragile in kind, than is to be found in any earlier time, (much of it is even less thick than that used at the present day,) which sudden change, for it differed little in this respect from first to last, is difficult to account for, unless the artists had previously been accustomed to obtain it from “ beyond seas,” * and then resorted to home manufacture. Whether such be the case or not, it is certain that the glass used in connexion with Perpendicular architecture in general, is somewhat poor and feeble as compared to that of the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries, not only in substance, but also in quality and colours. It is not improbable, from its differing so entirely in substance and colouring, that glass for artistic purposes was now either only first made or again revived in this country. Indeed, the glass of the Perpen¬ dicular period, though thinner, was more equal in substance than the preceding; and, as a mere article for general use, a vast improvement in its manufacture. The over-thickness of glass must at all times have been a great disadvantage in modelling windows, (which, in fact, were never made sound,) from its intractability; and it is not to be doubted, that, mechanically speaking, later works are much more compact, from the more equal substance of the glass and the lead, and it being, therefore, more perfectly moulded together. At an after period the glass was clearly manufactured of a substance calculated to meet the powers of the diamond upon it. The mode of constructing the designs for this style in no respect resembled those of the pre¬ ceding, for, as the windows had become enlarged and elongated, transoms were introduced to subdivide and support them ; and yet, although the area for glazing was more spacious, and so gave more scope for display and effect, the minuteness of design which was generally adopted was incompatible with grand effects; the object apparently being more to amuse the eye with the study of the parts, than to delight the mind by the impression of the whole. But, having once departed from the geometrical and medallioned principle, by the introduction of figures and canopies, it was natural to pursue the new idea to excess, and so to cover the whole surface with scenery and figures, where before the back-ground was the real design of the window, and the medallions only so many ornaments and enrichments upon it. The earliest kind of Perpendicular design was generally composed by placing square com¬ partments, each in itself a complete subject, successively surmounting each other, by which means the several lights of each window were filled. A good example of this kind, of a rich character in colour¬ ing, is in Morley church, Derbyshire. This is a legendary history of Saint Robert in many com¬ partments. It was brought hither from Dale Abbey at its dissolution, and is of the same date as that in the east window of York Minster. Some fine examples of pictorial glass of this style also exist in the church of St. Neot’s, Cornwall, and in St. Peter’s Mancroft, Norwich, which will come under our notice in the course of our remarks on this style. Figures canopied were also much in vogue at this time, and the application of them to this style is very nearly if not quite coeval with subjects in compartments, for even these were accom¬ panied by small figures and canopies in the tracery parts; nevertheless, the width of the main open¬ ings seems to have had some influence over the designs in these respects, for it will be generally found that when their width exceeded two feet, panel subjects were resorted to, and when they were from one foot upwards, they adopted figures and canopies. There may be exceptions to this rule, but these are for the most part windows of a great elevation, in which larger figures than are common * “ John Prudde, of Westminster, called simply Glazier, appears to have painted the windows in the chapel, (Beauchamp Chapel, Warwick,) and it was particularly stipulated that £ he should employ no glass of England, but with glass beyond the tteas , and that in the finest wise, with the best, cleanest, and strongest glasse of beyond sea that may be had in England, and of the finest colours of blew, &c.’ ” —Vide Walpole’s “Anecdotes of Painting,” vol. i. p. 66, 4th edit., 1786.—From the above we may conclude that the glass then made in Eng¬ land was thinner in substance and inferior in colour to that manufactured abroad. DURING THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 51 to the style were desirable, as in the east end of Winchester cathedral. Figures and canopies were in fact common to this style throughout. Sometimes they were in tiers of two or three in each light, as in the west window of Cirencester church; but more commonly single canopied figures occupy entire openings. Innumerable examples still exist in Morley church, Derbyshire, All Saints church, York, &c. Figures on quarrel grounds were also much adopted at the middle and latter end of this cen- tury, often resting on escrolls, with their names or other inscriptions thereon ; likewise on depicted trusses, as at the church of Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire, West Wickham, in Kent, &c. Flowered quarrel windows were also constantly used in filling the clerestory side, and even the eastern windows : they generally had borders of some rich colours, and were often otherwise embel¬ lished with Scripture texts, devices, or heraldry, as in Henry the Seventh’s chapel at Westminster. Scripture texts were also introduced on diagonal stripes f alternated with the quarrels, and likewise on convoluted scrolls distributed in different parts of the windows. Headings of foliage and colour may also be introduced with good effect in connexion with these, together with shields and entablatures containing attributes, devices, monograms, or scriptural subjects, t The canopies in the glass of this style in general very little resemble the architecture of the period; they are, in fact, rather conventional than strictly imitative. $ The detail of this style is seldom effective : still it is most carefully pencilled by fine lines intersected with crossed lines, instead of deep shading, much after the manner of engraving, upon which feeling it seems to have been done. In this respect there is no variation from the commence¬ ment to the termination of the style; indeed, the whole of the glass of this epoch is so similar in principle, that it might almost be supposed to be the work of the same hand. In all Perpendicular glass, shading was more resorted to than in the previous styles. The outlines being less vigorous made this necessary, but it was so managed that it only in a slight degree subdued the picture, without obvious shadowing. The glass of this epoch is less encaustic than in the preceding ages, whence the universal disfigurement of it; and, the windows being less heavily outlined and painted as well as more within the reach, they have suffered more than the earlier examples. Few if any modem artists have attempted to follow Perpendicular models accurately; it is, indeed, most difficult to do so, from the character of the designs, which combine very peculiar arrangement, quaintness, and high finish, and to carry it out faithfully must be the result of much study, time, and care. All that seems to be attempted now in this style is to construct designs something after Per¬ pendicular principles, so far as canopies and minor parts are concerned, and the figures after the Decorated, modified in drawing and treatment upon Germanized principles of oil and shadowy painting; whereas, in fact, the glass of this style bears a closer analogy to engraving, depending as it does for its effects principally upon hatched cross lines, rather than upon its shading. It can be scarcely said that any Perpendicular works (save restorations) have been faithfully repeated upon their own true principles since the close of the epoch, and it is extremely doubtful if any single work so executed at the present day would be appreciated, or satisfy any save the antiquary, from the pre¬ valent false notions of mediaeval drawing. The first window which we shall bring under notice by way of illustration is The Great East Window of York Minster. This window was begun to be executed in 1405, by John Thornton, of Coventiy, who contracted for the work, and he is presumed, from the importance of the situation of it, to have been the best artist of his time, which, indeed, is fully borne out by this production, for, taking it altogether as to its * Vide Plate of East Window of Beeford church, Yorkshire, f Vide Plate of Window in the south aisle of St. Mary’s church, Truro, Cornwall. + vye Plates of East Window of Beeford church, and Window of south aisle of St. Mary’s church, Truro. I See canopies of East Windows of St. Petrock’s, Cornwall; Dean, Lancashire ; and Truro chancel. 52 STAINED GLASS extent, the ability displayed in it, and the versatility of genius shewn in the varieties of subjects therein, it is a truly wonderful work of art. It is composed of one hundred and seventeen compart¬ ments, each of which is in itself a separate subject; these are in the main body of the window, and in the principal lights below the springing, which are subdivided by transoms. The subjects are not bounded by any marked separation, but are simply joined together, one surmounting the other, and have therefore the same effect as so many pictorial studies capriciously arranged. The only structural representations are in the headings of each light, which rest upon or proceed from trusses, no columns or margins appearing, but each picture is bounded by the jambs at the sides. That part which is above the springing, and forms the tracery, is divided into innumerable little apertures, which are occupied by single figures and small canopies over them ; the former being generally on white or yellow grounds diapered, and certain portions of the figures only being richly coloured. The same taste prevails in the subjects in the lower part of the window so far as regards their grounds of landscape, &c., which are mostly of white, the objects portrayed on it being mainly of pencilled outline, and certain parts of them stained yellow (which in this era was mostly resorted to); the richer colouring, therefore, such as ruby, blue, purple, and green, is for the most part confined to the prin¬ cipal figures and human portraitures in the grouping of the subjects, which are still most quaint and conventional, though admirably executed. Mobley Church, near Derby, contains some very remarkable and interesting remains of the middle of this centuiy; one window, especially, of the time of Edward the Fourth, which relates to a legend of St. Robert, and another equally so which bears allusion to the Holy Cross. These, together with others still remaining in this church, constitute a fine study for this style, for they comprehend many of the varieties of planning the designs during this period. The re-instatement of these ancient relics to their present condition is wholly attributable to Thomas Osborne Bateman, Esq., of Chaddesden, at whose cost and munificence the author has had the honour to restore and rescue them from confusion and decay. This church appears, by a brass inscription now remaining in the edifice, to have been built or added to by the order of Godiva Statham, a.d. 1403 ; but there is a tradition that the aisles were built or altered (as they evidently were considerably later,) to receive the stained glass windows. A large portion of these is yet contained in the church, the nave of which is Norman, the chancel Decorated, and the aisles Perpendicular. The stained glass occupies two windows with four lights, two with three lights, and two with two lights. The most singular, perhaps, are now the two north windows of the north aisle. The western of these contains the story of St. Robert of Dale, in seven compartments. First Compartment. —St. Robert is shewn shooting deer. Inscription on label, Str. iiohrrt efjootrtf) tf )t Drrrr rating ftse come. Second Compartment. —The keepers are shewn complaining to the King. Inscription on label, ££lf)errof tfjr feerpers complaint to tfje lijmgr. Third Compartment. —St. Robert complains to the King of the deers’ havoc. Inscription on label, S?m 1)c rotnplajmrtf) t )pm to tfjc stpngc. Inscription from the King’s mouth, ©0 Uj 1)0Ill [home] aU [and] pin [pound] tfjem. Fourth Compartment. —St. Robert is seen catching the deer. Inscription on label, Str. tiotrrt ratcfji«tlj tfir Beere. DURING THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 53 Rftb Compartment—The keepers report to the King of St. Robert having caught the deer. In- scription on label, from the King’s mouth, fjpm com* to me. Sixth Compartment. The King is shewn giving St. Robert the ground to plough with the deer. In¬ scription on label, from the King’s mouth, ©o pe tofjom anp poise [yoke] tfjem, aits taSe pt gronPe p' pc plooe. Seventh Compartment.—, St. Robert is shewn ploughing with the deer. Inscription on label, S)crc St. Robert plooctf) toitf) ttje Peere. The figures of this window are simply delineated, mostly entirely of white, and standing on black and white pavements, nearly all the back-grounds being massive ruby. In the Ashmolean Museum is a MS. by Ashmole himself, who saw Morley church in 1662. This glass, and more than now exists in the church, is fully described therein, and the late additions and restorations are partly made from Ashmole’s description. The legend runs thus:_“ St. Robert of Dale abbey, (more anciently called Stanley Park,) had sustained damage by the deer from a neighbouring park on his grounds; to rid himself of the annoyance he shot some of them, for which he was summoned before the King: after a hearing and appeal, the saint was finally ordered to take as much land as he could plough over (or round, like Dido at Carthage) between two suns, that is, in a day.” At the foot of each opening of this window is placed an armorial escutcheon: viz., 1st. The arms of Dale abbey, to which the glass originally belonged; 2nd. Of Francis Pole, Esq., who purchased the materials of Dale abbey after its dissolution, and who caused the glass to be brought to Morley church; 3rd. Of Thomas Osborne Bateman, Esq., a descendant of the families who have held Morley manor for several centuries past; 4th. Of Edward Degge Sitwell, Esq., who, with the heirs of Sir Hugh Bateman, Bart., is a joint patron of the advowson, and a considerable proprietor in the parish. Beneath these, on a label at the bottom, and running through the four openings, is the following inscription:— Vtftee ancient toinPotos tom brought bp dfrancis ©ole from tt)t abbepof Dale, after Hi Pestruction in a.O. 1539, anP torrr restorcP bp 21211m. 212!Jarrington, UonPott, for Clioittas Osborne Bateman, in ttje pear a.0. 1847. Samuel jpox, Hector, The window next to this, in the north aisle, contains the history of the Invention of the Holy Cross, and consists of ten compartments; the inscriptions of which are in Latin, on straight labels at the bottom of each subject, and serve to subdivide them. They are arranged as follows:— 1. Making of the Cross.—Inscription, Santtam rrurem fariunt. 2. Crucifixion of our Lord.—Inscription, Super cruee’ strictus est S.jBj.S. 3. Burial of the Cross.—Inscription, Sanrta crux sub terra conPitur. 4. The Vision of St. Helena.—Inscription, S’eta Helena per somnium crueem bipet. 5. The finding the Cross by St. Helena.—Inscription, Sanctam crueem fnbettiunt a'o cccxxbi. 6. Testing the true Cross.—Inscription, Dantones fccerunt ululatutn In acre. 7. Heraclius beheading Chosroes, who had obtained part of the Cross.—Inscription, ' ■' «' a •*» BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ARTISTS David, George, a glass-painter of much ability, was born at Delft, in Holland, in 1501, and died at Basle in 1556. Demoles, Arnold, a very excellent glass-painter, embellished by his works the cathedral of Auch, in Gascogne. An inscription in Gascon patois, placed on his windows, indicate that they were painted in June, 1509. Derode, Nicholas, a glass-painter who executed a window in Rheims cathedral, which bears date 1581. Eudier (see Buselin). Evrard, Matthew, glass-painter to the cathedral at Rouen from 1574 to 1603. He was working at the same time at the church of St. Maclou in the same town. Evrard, Michael, was master-glazier of St. Maclou, Rouen, in 1758. Germain, Michael, executed the stained-glass for the then new portal of Auxerre, which he fixed in 1528. Gheyn, John de, a Flemish glass-painter, who died in 1528, 50 years of age. Gheyn, James de, son of the preceding, bom at Antwerp, 1565: he was an able engraver and painter on glass, and was equally successful in other styles of painting. Goltius, and Henry his son, Germans, the latter at Mulbreitcht in the Duchy of Juliers, in 1578, died at Haarlem in 1617, aged 59. He was celebrated for his painting on glass, and his numerous productions as a draughtsman and engraver. Gontier, John and Leonard, brothers. Linard, Madrin, and Cochin, most able glass-painters of the 16th century, were all bom at Troyes in Champagne. This town and its environs comprise more painted windows than can be found in any other locality. Amongst the windows of the noted Gontier are those which decorate the cathedral in the town of Troyes, the college of St. Martin des Vignes, Montier-la-Celle, and the windows of the chapel of St. Stephen, painted by Leonard, who died at the age of 28. The Bene¬ dictine authors of the Voyages Litt^raires (Paris, 1717, vol. I. p. 93), speaking of the windows of Troyes, allude to a window at the end of the sanctuary of St. Pantaleon, of that town, executed by Gontier, for which the Cardinal Richelieu offered 18,000 francs (^720). Notwithstanding that the offer was so liberal, the sum being very considerable at the time, it was refused. The extraordinary part of this anecdote is the rejection of the offer to an individual whose imperious demands seldom met with refusal. Guerardes, Mark, a Fleming, native of Bruges, died in England (see Mark Villems). Guillaume, Brother, a White Friar and glass-painter (see Claude). Havene, Gabrielle, was glass-painter of the church of St. Maclqu, at Rouen. Heere, Lucas d’, a Fleming and glass-painter, died in 1564, aged 50 (see Mark Villems). Henriet, Claude and Israel, father and son; the latter was the rival and friend of the famous o IN GLASS STAINING AND PAINTING. Callot. Claude Henriet painted the windows of the cathedral of Chalons, in Champagne, which are remarkable from their beauty of drawing and colouring: he worked also in many of the Parisian churches, and it is said that those of St. Stephen du Mont are his. Heron, a glass-painter of talent, who practised at St. Andr£ des Arcs and at St. Merry, at Paris (see James de Parroy). Herusse, Robert. In a confirmation passed by the President of the Election of Dreux, given in 1570 in favour of glass-painters, this artist is qualified in the following manner: “ Maistre Robert Herusse, Maistre es Arts et Sciences, de Sculpture, et Peintun” (see Buselin). Hoone, Galyon. This artist, together with some others, executed some of the windows of King’s College Chapel, at Cambridge. An existing agreement speaks of Thomas Larke, archdeacon of Norwich, on the one part; and Gailon Hoone, of the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, glazier, Richard Bownde, of St. Clement Danes, glazier, Thomas Reve, of St. Sepulchre’s, glazier, and James Nichol¬ son, of Southwark, glazier, on the other part; the latter agreeing to set up eighteen windows of the upper story of King’s College Chapel, like those of the King’s new chapel at Westminster, as Bernard Fflower, late deceased, by indenture stood to do; six of the said windows to be set up within twelve months; the bands of lead to be after the rate of twopence per foot. They also agreed to execute the east and west* windows of the King’s College Chapel. They lived in the early part of the Sixteenth century. Hubert, Martin, glass-painter, living in 1545 in the parish of Gurques (see Buselin). Joyse, Cardin, glass-painter of the parochial church of St. Ouen, Rouen, 1512. Kuffeus, or Kussens, (Corneille Isbrantsche) (see Thibout, Sixteenth Century). Lagoubalde, Rene, and Remi. Father and son (see Buselin). Lequier, John, an eminent glass-painter, born at Bourges. This artist at an early period of his life formed his taste in Italy, and, having studied the great masters, returned and enriched his own country with magnificent windows in abundance, a great portion of which were destroyed during the Revolution. Many of the windows in Bourges cathedral are by him. Several of his pupils dis¬ tinguished themselves, and often aided him in his works. This painter, to whom La Vieil makes no allusion, died at Bourges in 1556, in the parish of St. John des Champs, and was buried m the chapel of St. Anne. Leyde, Lucas de, a glass-painter land, in 1494, and died in 1533, aged 39 with the great Albert Durer. of much merit: he was bom in the town of Leyde, in Hol- From the diversity of his genius he was fairly comparable Lenabd, a glass-painter from Troyes, in Champagne : practised at the end of the Sixteenth century. Lucas, Lawrence (see Buselin). Masson, Geopphy, glass-painter of St, Onen, Ronen, with Arnold de la Pointe, in 1508. * This latter was never added. All the rest remain. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ARTISTS Mehestre, Simon (see Buselin). Monori, a Dominican prior of the abbey of Cerfroy, in Soissonnais : he painted in 1529 the windows of the refectory of this monastery. Nicholson, James, of Southwark, a glass-painter; he executed some of the windows of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge: he lived in 1527 (see G. Hoone). Noirsins, Anthony, a glass-painter of the Sixteenth century (see Brochon). Orquois, John, also a glass-painter of the Sixteenth century (see Brochon). Palissy, Bernard de, was one of the best French artists of the Renaissance, and one of those men whose universality of talent approached to the Michael Angelos, the Leonardi da Vincis, and Jean Cousins. He was a geometrician, engineer, physician, chemist, naturalist, modeller, draughts¬ man, and one of the greatest of glass-painters. He wrote many works much in estimation, in one of which he takes the title of “ Inventeur des Rustiques figulines du Roy et de la Royne sa Mere.” Amateurs even now seek with avidity the China vases ornamented in relief, manufactured in the fabrics from the taste of this great artist. The admirable suite of the Amours and Misfortunes of Psyche, which decorate the Hall of Arms of the castle of d’Ecouen, near Paris, are all attributed to him. His painted glass after the drawings of Raphael for a long time delighted all eyes at the Museum des Monumens Franfjais. At the time of the second Restoration, when the old Prince of Cond£ was visiting this museum, some person pointed out this glass to him, stating that it originally belonged to one of his castles, upon which it was ordered to be removed, was packed, and placed in one of his outhouses. After much mutilation it has since been distributed in different quarters. This artist, Palissy, in the distinction of his works has much suffered from the suppression of the Museum des Petits Augustins. He was one of the great artists of the Sixteenth century. Notwith¬ standing his advanced age, and the eminent services which he had contributed to the arts, he could not in the eyes of the Leaguers find mercy: they had him arrested on account of his religious opinions, and shut up in the Bastile. Henry the Third visited him in prison, and said to him, “ My good man, if you do not accommodate yourself to the facts of our religion, I am constrained to leave you in the hands of your enemiesto which this great and aged man replied, “ Sire, those who constrain you can never do the same by me ; for this reason, I know how to die.” He was bom in the environs of Agen, and terminated his life in prison, 1589, at the age of 80, after a life of great talent and rare virtue. Parroy, James De Chamu. John Nogan and Heron painted in competition the history of St. Peter, with the Latin citations taken from the Acts of the Apostles, of St. John the Baptist, and of St. Francis d’Assise, in the windows of the choir of St. Merry, at Paris, which church was finished in 1612 : they painted also many of the windows of the chapels of this church. Parroy was bom at St. Poursin sur Allier, in the Sixteenth century, and was a long time a scholar of the noted Dominican. The collegiate and parochial church of St. Croix, at Ganat, was furnished with windows from the hands of this artist, who painted the four Fathers of the Latin church there. De Parroy died at the age of 102, at Moulins, in Bourbonnais, and was buried in the church of the Jacobins in that town. Perier, Francis, pupil of Lanfranc, painted for the charnel-house of St. Paul, at Paris, the History of the First Council of the Church, and the Shadow of St. Peter healing the Sick. Pinagrier, Robert, rivalled John Cousin : he painted in 1527 and 1550 the windows in the parish church of St. Hilaire, of Chartres; one of the finest was copied for the charnel-house of St. IN GLASS STAINING AND PAINTING. Stephen du Mont, Paris, and was removed to the church by Le Vieil. This window was a singular allegory, and shews the principal sovereigns and noted persons of that epoch occupying themselves in collecting from the tomb the blood which is abundantly flowing from the wounds of our Saviour. This artist painted also the windows of St. Gervais, and of many other churches in the same city. Pinaigrier, Nicholas. The finest windows in the charnel-house of St. Paul were from the hands of this artist. Robert, John, and Louis Pinaigrier contributed also to the execution of the windows of that edifice. Le Vieil considers these artists as the sons or grandsons of the last-named, who was rival to J. Cousin. Pointe, Arnould de la, master-glazier of the church of St. Ouen, at Rouen, in 1508, in con¬ junction with Geoflry Masson. Pot, John Le, a Fleming, established himself at Beauvais, in 1500, and married the daughter of Anthony Caron, painter, of that town. He excelled in the graiselle, and was besides a clever sculptor : he died in 1563. Pot, Nicholas Le, relative of Angrand Le Prince; he was from Beauvais, and painted many subjects in glass for that town, but, like John Pot, he excelled principally in graiselles. His works bear his monogram, NLP, united; he was probably son of the last-named. Prince, Angrand Le, principally known from his admirable windows in the church of St. Stephen, at Beauvais. These windows have excited much notice from various authors : they indeed possess a merited notoriety, and are truly excellent. Many of the subjects are from the drawings of Raphael, of Giulio Romano, and Albert Durer; also a Christ in the cathedral from the last-named master. This eminent painter prided himself in obtaining models from the greatest artists in Italy and Germany, and at a late period there still existed at Beauvais some of the valuable drawings that he had possessed. He died at Beauvais in 1530, at an advanced age. Repel, Soyer, master-glazier to the church of St. Maclou, Rouen, in 1565. He had through his hands all the windows round the choir of this edifice, and also those of the Lady Chapel, to repair. Reve, Thomas, glass-painter of St. Sepulchre’s, London, executed some of the windows of Kind’s College Chapel, Cambridge : he lived in 1527 {see G. Hoone). Rogiers, a native of Holland: he painted the windows of the chapel of the Holy Sacrament, St. Gudule, Brussels. These windows were ordered by Francis the First, Charles the Fifth, and many other sovereigns. Rue, Liom de la, and his son {see Buselin). Symonds Symond, of St. Margaret’s, Westminster {see Francis Willyamson, Sixteenth Century). Tacheron Peter, bom at the end of the sixteenth century, was master-glazier at Soissons, and painted in that town, in 1622, the ten admirable windows of the Hall of the Arquebusiers. These represent subjects from the Metamorphosis of Ovid, and are perfect in drawing and colouring. Louis the Fourteenth, in passing through Soissons to Flanders, in 1663, was so struck with their beauty, that he requested four of them to place in his cabinet. The Company offered him the whole. He postponed his decision until his return, at which time he had fortunately forgotten all about it. / BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ARTISTS The Cloister des Minimes of the same town enclosed some excellent graiselles, also attributed to him. Tardif, Olivier, glass-painter of the cathedral at Rouen from 1540 to 1554. Thibotjt or Tibaot, Willem, Dutchman, was working in association or partnership with Cornelius Isbrantsche Kuffeus, or Knssens, his countryman ; the latter died in 1599, the former m 1618. Thibaut painted in 1563 a window for the church of St. Ursula, at Delft, in which is seen the portrait of Philip the Second, king of Spain, and his wife Elizabeth de Valois, daughter of Henry the Second of France, in royal robes. The same artist enriched the church at Gouda with a window representing the taking of Damietta by the Crusaders in 1219. The same church at Gouda contains a window by his partner, Cornelius Knssens, representing progressively the Prayer of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple. In a great hall at Leyden are windows with portraits at full-length of all the Counts of Flanders, which are by these artists. Toornevliet, native of Holland; a most excellent draughtsman and glass-painter, who lived at Delft; he was the first master of the Flemish painter Mieris, who was already very talented when he passed into the hands of Gerard Douw: the latter used to call Mieris his prince of pupils. Van Cool, Laurent, painted the windows of the privy council at Delft; the counsellors are represented as large as life, and in armour from head to foot. Le Vieil considered this artist as the one that Florent Lecompt styles “ Laurent the Glazier.” He lived in the sixteenth century. Van Dyck was a talented glass-painter. He was doubly honoured in being the father and the first master of the great Anthony Van Dyck. Van Kuyck, John, a native of Holland, and eminent as a glass-painter; he was bom at Dort in 1530, was arrested and accused there of heresy, and was burned alive for the same, 28th of March, 1572. Van Zyll, Dirk Thierry. He took part of the works at Gouda; one of the windows has his signature, and the date 1556. He was born at Utrecht. Vieil, William Le, ancestor of the glass-painter and author of that name; worked for the church of St. Maclou, at Rouen, 1584. Villems, Mark, a Fleming, born at Malines about 1527, and died 1561. This artist, with De Heere and Guerardes, occupied themselves principally in furnishing drawings for glass-painters; the latter used to furnish them coloured, which obtained for him the name of the Illuminator. Vriendt, James, a Fleming, brother to the noted Frank Floris, called the Flemish Raphael; he executed the Nativity in the cathedral of Antwerp, and the Last Judgment over the portal of St. Gudule, at Brussels. The dates of his birth and death have not been ascertained. His brother was bom 1520, and died 1570. Williamson, Francis, of Southwark, glass-painter, and Symond Symonds, of St. Margaret’s, Westminster, agreed to glaze four windows of the King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, of orient colours, and imagery of the old law and the new law, after the manner and goodness in every point of the New Chapel at Westminster; also according to the manner done by Bernard Flower, glazier, deceased ; also according to such patterns called vidimus s , to be set up within two years next ensu- 10 IN GLASS STAINING AND PAINTING. ing, to be paid after the manner of sixteen pence per foot for glass ; this agreement took place the 3rd of May, 1527. Wytenwael or Vytenwael, and Joachim his son, bom at Utrecht in 1566. The latter com¬ posed the drawings of two allegorical windows of St. John de Gouda. Ypres, Charles d’, painted on glass and furnished cartoons to glass-painters. He committed suicide at Ypres, 1564. ARTISTS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. Bylerte, a painter on glass of Utrecht in the beginning of the seventeenth century. He was the first master of his son, John Bylerte, a distinguished historical painter. Chamu (see James du Parroy). Clayes, Jansze, a native of Holland, painted, in 1601, the story of the Woman taken in Adultery, in the windows of St. John de Gouda, by order of the Burgomasters of Rotterdam. This window bears his name and the above date. Clebc, Le, father and son, undertook and painted the windows of the new church in the parish of St. Sulpice, at Paris, and many historical subjects in its chapels; also similar works in the chapel of the Mazarine College. Clock, Cornelius, Hollander, painted for the Burgomasters of Leyden and Delft many win¬ dows of the church of Gouda, in 1602 and 1603, from the cartoons of Swanenburg. These windows represent, amongst many other subjects, the sieges of Leyden and Delft: amongst the many figures which portray these military events are portraits of the Prince of Orange, Boisot, and many other distinguished personages. Desangives, Nkholas, of France ; he painted, amongst others, the windows of the charnel- house of St. Paul’s, at Paris. His works bear his monogram, and possess high artistic merit, he being a most skilful draughtsman. Le Vieil speaks in high praise of his talents. Donw Gebabd, of Holland, whose works are well known, was born at Leyden, 7th April, 1613- his father, who was a glazier, placed him with Bartholomew Dolendo, a sculptor, to learn drawing and some few months afterwards to Peter Kowhorn, glass-painter. H.s father was so much delighted with the precocious talent that Gerard exhibited, that he passed him to the school o Rembrandt, where his extraordinary genius took a fresh turn in the production of some splendid pictures. He died in 1674. Fouchieb Bernabb, native of Holland, born at Bergen-op-Zoom; he studied in the first instance under Van Dyck,’ practised on glass and in oil, and executed some splendid works. He died in his native country in 1684. Giles Henry of York: he painted the east window of the chapel of the University College, Oxford, representing die Nativity of our Lord, given by Dr. Ratcliffe. The transparent colon*, of this window are choice and good, but the enamel parts were not encaustic, and have so failed that the portraiture of the subject is almost obliterated. | [ / BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ARTISTS Goust, Phillip, was glass-painter to the cathedral at Rouen from 1605 to 1620. Hoet, Guerard, born at Bommel in 1648, painter on glass and in oil. He received his first lessons from his father, who was also a glass-painter, in consequence of Wamar van Rysen having established himself in Holland. Hoet, then 16 years of age, entered the school of that master, when after one year his father died, which occasioned him, in concert with his brother, to carry on his late father’s business, and to complete such works as he had undertaken, still not quitting the practice ol other styles of painting. In 1672 he went to the Hague, to avoid the calamities of the war; from thence into the duchy of Cleves, and thence into France, where, notwithstanding his talents, he was reduced to the task of engraving the landscapes of Francis Millet, for which he was barely remunerated. At length he determined to return to his native country, and established himself at Utrecht. After marrying he there opened a school for drawing, but this not answering his expectations he finally fixed himself at the Hague, where he was fully appreciated. He died there in 1733. His large works for the churches of the Netherlands, and the ceilings of the different mansions which he painted in Holland, are in themselves a sufficient eulogy of his talent. Holsteyn was the father of Cornelius Holsteyn. It is supposed that the latter owed to him the first elements of his art. He was born at Haarlem, 1653. Janssens, Peter, enjoyed a great reputation as glass-painter in the Netherlands, and was one of the pupils of John Van Brockorst. He was bom at Amsterdam in 1612, and died at the age of 60. Kowhorn, Peter (see Gerard Douw). Linards, James, of Amsterdam (see Pieters, Gerard, end of Seventeenth Century). Michu, Benoit, an artist of great ability, was renowned as master-glazier at Paris in 1677. His father was a Fleming, but Benoit was probably bom at Paris, where his parents were established before him in the same profession. He enriched by his works the cloisters of the Feuillans in the Rue St. Honore. This edifice was lighted with forty central windows, each containing twelve panels, with friezes and armorial bearings; the central ones being historical subjects. These paintings were not entirely from the hands of Michu, as seen by the chronograms, bearing date 1624, continued to 1628, again to 1701, and finally to 1709. He was also employed for the windows of the chapel of Versailles, and those of the church of the Invalides. In 1726 he painted the arms of Cardinal de Noailles in the centre of the great rose window (palace side) of the cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, which window was then reinstated at that prelate’s expense. The window of the Crucifixion, in the cloisters of the abbey of St. Genevieve du Mont, is also by him. He died about 1730. Minouflet, Charles, of Soissons, glass-painter, amongst other works executed a rose-window of the abbey of St. Nicaise, at Rheims, during the seventeenth century. Monnier, father and son, natives of Blois, glass-painters of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Monnier, John, was son or grandson of the preceding: he was patronised by Mary de’ Medici and the Archbishop of Pisa, who took him to Florence and Rome. On his return to France he executed some handsome windows for the charnel-house of St. Paul’s, at Paris in which he placed his monogram. Nogare, John (see James de Parroy, Seventeenth Century). 12 IN GLASS STAINING AND PAINTING. Perrin, a glass-painter of the seventeenth century, painted some windows from the cartoons of the eminent Lesueur, for one of the chapels of St. Gervaise, at Paris. Sauval speaks highly of him, and Le Vieil thinks the arms and cyphers of the Cardinal Richelieu, which are in all the win¬ dows of the church of the Sorbonne, done by him by order of the Cardinal. Porcher, glass-painter, painted some of the windows of St. Paul’s, at Paris, in the seven¬ teenth century. Spilberg, a glass-painter, was following his profession in 1619, in Dusseldorf. Sutton, Baptista, glass-painter. Shoreditch, London, in the year 1634. He executed two windows for the church of St. Leonard, Tomberg, William David, or Daniel, a native of Holland, who lived in Gouda. He worked seven years with Westerhout, and from thence went to the father of Van Dyck. His talent was not of a high order. He died in 1678. Van Bockorst, Hollander, a glass-painter, was the master of Peter Jansens, in the seven¬ teenth century. Van Bronokorst, John, bom at Utrecht, in 1603, was initiated by John Verburg, glass- painter, but quitted his school for that of Peter Matthew, a very clever glazier, whom he left at the end of eighteen months for Arras, and then worked a long time at Paris. On his return to Holland his intimacy with Polemburg gave him the taste for oil-painting, and to the present day his oil-paint¬ ings are not less admired than his beautifi.1 windows, especially those painted for the new church at Amsterdam. Van Diepenbeke, Abraham, was great as a glass-painter, draughtsman, and composer, bom at Bois le Due about 1607. He was a pupil of Reubens, who spoke in much praise of his talent. He left the school of that great master to travel in Italy, where he acquired considerable proficiency. He painted on the windows of Antwerp cathedral the Works of Charity, at the foot of which he executed portraits of the Administrators to the Poor in 1635, in which some of the heads are as fine as the portraits of Van Dyck. At the same time the church of St. James and many of the con¬ vents were decorated with his glass-paintings. In St. Gudule, at Brussels, are four windows of this able master, much admired; amongst which are seen portraits o the Emperors Ferdinand and Leopold the Archdukes Albert and Leopold, and the Infanta Isabella. He pamted all the windows of the cloisters of Minimes, at Lille. He was nominated director of the academy of Antwerp, in 1641, and died in that town in 1675. Van Linoe, Bernaro, painted, in 1636 , the windows of the chapel of Queen’s College, Oxford. In 1641 he was commissioned to pain, the north and south windows of the University Collegei chapel, qubiects from the Old and New Testament; he also painted, at the ° f ; h6 f of the chape, of Wadham College, composed of subjects cost of Sir Joh In the chapel of Balio i he pain ted, in 1637, one of the northern taken from the L Eunuch, and in one of the south windows the story of the windows,. represent^St .^ ^ he painted , in the sou th aisle of Christ Church, thrrJoryTjonas; and in the chapel of the Trinity many windows, comaining the picture of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus disputing with the Doctors, Ac. Van Ulet James, bom at Gorcum, in Holland, about 1627. He excelled in glass-painting Van Ueet, for ^ brilliant colouring of his windows. Some and chemistry, a science to which he was 13 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ARTISTS of his finest works are at Gorcum, and also in the county of Gueldres. He likewise obtained much celebrity in oil-painting, and was a burgomaster of his native town. The year of his death is not ascertained. Van der Veen, Guerard {see Antiquus, Eighteenth Century). Vasseur, Nicholas Le, painted the four windows of the chapel of the Communion of St. Paul, at Paris, from the cartoons of Vignon : they were executed in the seventeenth century. Verbourg, John {see Van Bronckorst). Vieil, William Le, born at Rouen in 1640, descended from ancestors who followed for centuries the art of glass-painting; he gave good proofs of his talents in many parts of Normandy. The church of the ancient Hotel Dieu, dedicated to the Magdalen, possesses a window from his hands. In 1685 he became a competitor for the windows of St. Cross, at Orleans, in which church he executed many other works. Posterior to these works he occupied himself with many others, in conjunction with his third son, the only one whom he initiated in his art: he died 1708. Vrije, Adrian De, a native of Holland. He painted four of the windows of St. John, at Gouda. Westerhout, a glass-painter, bom at Utrecht {see Tomberg). ARTISTS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. Antiquus, John, native of Holland, bom at Groningen in 1702. He is only known as having practised this art at the age of 20, in connexion with Guerard Van der Veen. He was an oil- painter and good draughtsman : he died in 1750. BAUMGyERTNER, a Tyrolese glass-painter of the middle of the eighteenth century. Bernier, glass-painter, cited by Brothers Maget and Goblet, lived in the eighteenth century. Brice, William. He entirely re-glazed the large rose window on the side of the Bishop’s palace at Notre Dame, Paris; also the windows of the Holy Chapel, which are indebted to his skill for their preservation. Bbus, Le. In the church of St. Nicholas de la Taille, near Havre de Grace, the windows are composed of yellow ornaments on white grounds ; one of them bears an inscription, partly erased : —“ Le Bran, a Caudebec, Pinxit.” They are dated 1758 and 1759. These shew that the art was still continued abroad as well as in England, even at this time. Dihl, a French glass-painter of the early part of the eighteenth century. Don, John Fhaxcis, a glass-painter, pupil of Le Clerc. He painted, in 1717 and 1718, some panels ornamented with friezes for the cloister of the Carmes des Chausses, of Paris 14 IN GLASS STAINING AND PAINTING. Goblet, Brother Anthony, a Franciscan friar, native of Dinan, died 18th April, 1721, aged 5*5. He was a glass-painter of Paris : also Maurice Maget, monk of the same order, died at Nevers, 17th December, same year, aged 49. These monks have left MSS. relating to all that concerns painting on glass, of which Le Vieil availed himself. Godfry, Robert Scott, an English Glass-painter, was exhibiting in Paris, in 1769, a large window painted in the style of ancient church windows, in which the colours were solid and brilliant, and offering all the variety of tones which are so much admired in old glass. This (then) modem production was considered remarkably fine, rare, and splendid, according to the Mercure du France journal, July, 1769. Huve, nephew and pupil of Michu, but he did not attain the eminence and ability of his master. He executed some of the friezes of the Invalides and of Versailles. But as he was not received master, the fear of being prosecuted by the jurors of his profession compelled him to retire to Croix St. Lefroi, where he was still the victim of the arbitrary measures he had before experienced. He died in 1752. Jarvis, painted in 1777, from the drawings of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the west window of the New College of Oxford. This represents seven allegorical figures: Temperance, Courage, Faith, Hope, Charity, Justice, and Prudence. Above these, in a space 18 feet high and ten wide, is represented the Nativity of Christ, a group of shepherds approaching to salute the Saviour. These windows have undergone a remarkable vicissitude. For half a century they were held up to admi¬ ration and for imitation, until at length some witty critic, as Walpole had previously done (justly, certainly), dubbed them the “ washy Virtues ,” when their virtue and charms became as evanescent as their colouring. Still we ought not to forget that it is ourselves that have really changed, and not the window; and to these, as well as many others connected with the names in this Biography, are we indebted for the transmission of the art. The fault was as much the taste of the day as of the artists, who painted to please, and did then accomplish their object. It is gratifying to find that an Englishman, Godfry, was exhibiting at about the same time in Paris a window of Ins own upon something like true principles, and after the ancient models, which was there appreciated.* As Godfry probably went to Paris despairing of sympathy of taste in his own country, it is no very high compliment to the cognoscenti of this kingdom at that time, and a tolerable apology for Jarvis. There are still remaining unfortunately those who like the “ washy” style. Langlois, Francois, master-glazier and painter on glass. He was of mediocre talent, though he painted some works at St. Genevieve. He died at Paris, then a China merchant, 1725. Maget, Brother Maurice (see Goblet). Oliver, Isaac. Amongst many other works, he painted, in 1700, at the age of 84, St. Peter delivered from Prison by an Angel, for the college of Christ Church, Oxford. Pearson and Wife, painted, in 1776, from the drawings of Mortimer, the last window of Brasenose College, containing representations of our Saviour and the four Evangelists under canop.es, &c Poor and inferior though this window is, it has vast advantages over those oi New College, painted by Jarvis, and is constructed upon better principles. It is indeed inconceivable how Jarvis s windows obtained such reputation, except from the association of the name o Sir Joshua Reynolds with them. Pearson painted many other windows at Salisbury cathedral and elsewhere, and recently died at a patriarchal age. It is to his wife however that Pearson was indebted for any thing that * See Godfry, BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ARTISTS was artistical in his works. This lady was an admirable painter; her paintings ol the cartoons of Raphael in enamel, and many other cabinet paintings, shew such careful and exact treatment, as to leave no doubt of artistic ability, and the charming way in which she tastefully applied and gra¬ duated her enamel colours has never been surpassed, nor will perhaps be again equalled. Peckett, of York, painted from 1765 to 1774, from the drawings of Rebecca, the northern windows of the New College chapel, at Oxford. Also some windows in the Minster were by him placed in the south transept in 1762; he painted the large window at Lincoln cathedral, and in 1766 the west window of Exeter cathedral. He also painted for the Library of Trinity College, Cam¬ bridge ; but the best works which he ever executed are in the chapel of Clumber Hall, in Notting. hamshire, the seat of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. These consist of armorial bearings, inter¬ spersed with mosaics. They are, especially considering the state of the art at the time, in excellent taste, and by far surpassing all his other works. He was the best glass-painter of his time. Pieters, Gerrard, a native of Holland, pupil of James Linards, an excellent painter in the style of the time. He was so enamoured with his art that he has often been heard to say that he would not relinquish it to become a prince. He lived in the middle of the eighteenth century. Price, William, of London, repaired, in 1715, the windows of Queen’s College, Oxford. The centre window is entirely from his own hands. One of the windows of Christ Church is also by him, from the drawings of Sir James Thornhill. In 1700 he painted the eastern window of the chapel of Merton College. Price, William, Junior, of London, painted in the chapel of Magdalen College, Oxford, some figures near the altar. In 1740 he repaired the windows of the New College chapel, in the same city. He died in 1765. Regnier, Peter, monk of the congregation of St. Maur, died in April, 1766, after being occupied nearly the whole of his life in this art, but only in the houses and convents of his order. He not only painted many windows of the royal abbey church of St. Denis, but he also restored the ancient windows of that church. Rowe, Edward, a glass-painter, died in the Old Bailey, 1763. Sempi, P. A., a Fleming, painted in partnership with Michu, whom he excelled, in the win¬ dows of the cloisters of the Feuillans of Paris. These artists, with Pierre le Vieil, took part in the windows of the chapel of Versailles, and the church of the Invalides at Paris. Simon, Francis, native of Nantes, glass-painter, of the beginning of the eighteenth century, practised in his own country, and, in conjunction with William le Vieil, in the windows of St. Nicholas du Chardonnet, at Paris. Vieil, William Le, bom at Rouen, son of the preceding of that name, received his first lessons from Jouvent, his maternal grandfather, and uncle of the noted painter of that name, brother of the Abbot of St. Ouen, at Rouen, who painted on glass for the houses of his order. His superior sent him to Paris to execute the friezes of the windows of the church of Blancs Manteaux; he took Le Vieil with him, and made him paint for his first essay the Crucifixion for the high windows of the sanctuary of that church. After this Le Vieil painted at the palace of Meudon, the dome of the Invalides, &c., from drawings by Lemoine and Fontenay. The works of this eminent painter are very numerous; and he restored the windows of the Holy Chapel at Bourges, and the Cordeliers at Stampen, which were broken by a hail-storm. 16 IN GLASS STAINING AND PAINTING. Vieil, John Le, son of William just mentioned, was the scholar of Francis Jouvent for figure, and was taught ornament by Varin, founder and chaser to Louis XVI. Le Vieil contributed to the execution of the friezes of the chapel of Versailles, and was engaged in works of the same kind for the castle of Cressy, the cathedral of Paris, mansion of Toulouse, college of Bemardins, and many other edifices. At the death of John Francis Dor, he was the only artist in Paris prac¬ tising glass-painting. Vieil, Lewis Le, brother of the preceding, a glass-painter, and scholar of Demachy. Vieil, Peter Le, author of the eminent work styled “ L’ Art de la Peinture sur Verre, et de la Vitrie;” born at Paris, 8th February, 1708. His family, originally of Normandy, practised in succession the art of glass-painting for more than two centuries. Peter, of whom we are speaking, was in the first instance a scholar and boarder in the college of St. Barbe; from thence he went to the one of La Marche, where he was very successful in his studies. When seventeen years of age, he proceeded to Normandy for the purpose of taking the habit of St. Benedict, in the abbey of Fontenelle, otherwise St. Wandrille, to which his father had been a postulant in the same order. He aspired with ardour to his undertaking, when a sudden change took place in his views from the misfortunes of his father, he being left with ten children besides himself, and all too young to assist him. Accordingly he relinquished all ideas of a monastery, which he left, much regretted by his superiors, and joined his father to assist in conducting his works, to which province he necessarily confined himself, not having learned drawing. He was, however, a scholar and a man of taste, and many other literary productions are by him, such as “ Essai sur la Peinture en Mosaique, “ Sur la Pierre speculaire des Anciens,” &c. &c., by which means he ennobled his association with this art, and honoured the art itself. He lived in celibacy, and died of the third attack of apoplexy, at Paris, 23rd of February, 1772. finis. h