Arts and crafts in the Middle Ages : $b a description of mediaeval workmanship in several of the departments of applied art, together with some account of special artisans in the early RenaissanceAddison, Julia de Wolf
History
Arts and crafts in the Middle Ages : $b a description of mediaeval workmanship in several of the departments of applied art, together with some account of special artisans in the early Renaissance
Addison, Julia de Wolf
Arts and crafts movement; Decoration and ornament, Medieval; Decorative arts -- History; Illumination of books and manuscripts
The tomb of Queen Eleanor in Westminster is of Purbeck marble,
treated in the style of Southern sculpture, being cut in thin slabs
and enriched with low relief ornamentation. The recumbent effigy
is in bronze, and was cast, as has been stated, by Master William
Torel. Master Walter of Durham painted the lower portion. Master
Richard Crundale was in charge of the general work.
Master John of St. Albans worked in about 1257, and was designated
"sculptor of the king's images." There was at this time a school
of sculpture at the Abbey. This Westminster School of Artificers
supplied statuettes and other sculptured ornaments to order for
various places. One of the craftsmen was Alexander "le imaginator."
In the Rolls of the Works at Westminster, there is an entry, "Master
John, with a carpenter and assistant at St. Albans, worked on the
lectern." This referred to a copy which was ordered of a rarely
beautiful lectern at St. Albans' cathedral, which had been made by
the "incomparable Walter of Colchester." Labour was cheap! There
is record of three shillings being paid to John Benet for three
capitals!
Among Westminster labourers was one known as Brother Ralph, the
Convert; this individual was a reformed Jew. Among the craftsmen
selected to receive wine from the convent with "special grace" is
the goldsmith, Master R. de Fremlingham, who was then the Abbey
plumber.
There was a master mason in 1326, who worked at Westminster and
in various other places on His Majesty's Service. This was William
Ramsay, who also superintended the building then in progress at
St. Paul's, and was a man of such importance in his art, that the
mayor and aldermen ordered that he should "not be placed on juries
or inquests" during the time of his activity. He was also chief
mason at the Tower. But in spite of the city fathers it was not
possible to keep this worthy person out of court! For he and some
of his friends, in 1332, practically kidnapped a youth of fourteen
named Robert Huberd, took him forcibly from his appointed guardian,
and married him out of hand to William Ramsay's daughter Agnes,
the reason for this step being evidently that the boy had money.
Upon the complaint of his guardian, Robert was given his choice
whether he would remain with his bride or return to his former
home. He deliberately chose his new relations, and so, as the
marriage was quite legal according to existing laws, everything
went pleasantly for Master William! It made no difference, either,
in the respect of the community or the king for the master mason;
in 1344, he was appointed to superintend the building at Windsor,
and was made a member of the Common Council in 1347. Verily, the
Old Testament days were not the last in which every man "did that
which was right in his own eyes."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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