A Treatise on Chancel Screens and Rood Lofts: Their Antiquity, Use, and Symbolic Signification — John Shaqi
A Treatise on Chancel Screens and Rood Lofts: Their Antiquity, Use, and Symbolic SignificationPugin, Augustus Welby Northmore
History
A Treatise on Chancel Screens and Rood Lofts: Their Antiquity, Use, and Symbolic Signification
Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore
Screens (Church decoration)
The cathedral, though it has suffered most severely from extensive
alterations in the seventeenth century, has still preserved a most
curious stone rood loft, debased in style, but still carrying out the
principles of the old traditions. It was approached by two flights of
steps, the choir being elevated over a crypt, which gives it a most
imposing appearance. On the top of the first platform is an altar, and
immediately over it a stone pulpit, with a brass lectern, on the left
side, in the form of an eagle, doubtless for the deacon to sing the holy
Gospel to the people. On either side of this are doors, with gates of
open metal-work; above are five arched canopies, which contain
sculptures in alto-relief, representing the sacrifice of Abraham;
bearing the cross; entombment of our Lord; Jonas and the whale; and
under the foot of the rood, in the centre, Moses setting up the brazen
serpent in the wilderness; an appropriate type of the great reality, our
Lord lifted up on the cross, or rood, which is, as usual, sculptured
with the attendant images of St. John and the Blessed Virgin. There are
two Byzantine coronæ for lights still suspended in this church, and many
of the details of the choir, crypt, &c. are exceedingly interesting.
BREMEN.
This cathedral has been much modernized by the Lutherans, but the
ancient rood loft, though removed from its original position, is still
standing in the church, as a sort of gallery. The sculpture is of a very
superior description, and it may be ascribed to the early or middle part
of the fifteenth century. In the centre part of the aisle are some
exceedingly curious fragments of stall-work, as old as the thirteenth
century, which doubtless formed a portion of the original choir
fittings. They are very remarkable in design and execution, being cut
out of huge oak planks, several inches thick, and, though somewhat rude,
have a fine, bold, and severe character.
BASLE.
This cathedral, now used for Lutheran worship, has a very fine close
screen, with the remains of a central altar, and two side doorways.
FRIEDBERG AND GELNHAUSEN.
Have the same arrangement, as may be seen by the plates.
MARBURG.
The screen is a decorated wall, entirely shutting off the choir, with an
altar in the centre. See plate.
HALBERSTADT.
Has a fine rood loft, of the end of the fifteenth, or beginning of the
sixteenth century.
ULM.
The central altar, surmounted with screen and canopy-work, is still
remaining; but the connecting work between it and the stalls has
been removed, probably about the middle of the last century, and an
iron railing substituted. This church, which is one of the finest in
Germany for its elevation and interesting details, is now used for the
Lutheran worship, but, with the exception of this screen, the original
fittings remain perfect.
S. LAWRENCE CHURCH, NUREMBERG.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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