Stained Glass Tours in EnglandSherrill, Charles Hitchcock
History
Stained Glass Tours in England
Sherrill, Charles Hitchcock
Cathedrals -- England; England -- Description and travel; Glass painting and staining -- England
with the number of months, days and hours in the year, Thomas Fuller
said, "All Europe affords not such an almanac of architecture." We are
concerned only with that portion of the almanac that has to do with the
days. An old rhyme says:
"As many days as in one year there be
So many windows in this church we see."
Notwithstanding the great number of light apertures thus provided by the
architect, the glazier was not permitted to make excessive use of the
light-obscuring coloured mosaic glass, as was then the custom in France.
Grisaille was plentifully used, and Salisbury was famous for it. Most of
its remains are found in the upper lancets at the south end of the
easterly transepts, as well as a little in the west windows of the nave
aisles, the east one of the choir aisles, and the lower triplet in the
south end of the small transepts. Two of the easterly clerestory lights
of the large northern transept also show this early pattern glass.
Instead of filling the other embrasures with rudely contrasting modern
glazing, a very intelligent effort has been made throughout the choir
and transept to model as closely as possible upon these ancient
examples. The result is very agreeable--at least it contrives to give us
some idea of how the church must have looked with its original windows
all complete. Little touches of colour are very judiciously interspersed
throughout the strapwork, and serve to correct what otherwise might be
dull-toned. Blue is very extensively used here for this purpose, and to
a greater extent than is usually found elsewhere. It tones in admirably
with the greenish hue of the glass, and enriches it without risking too
striking a contrast. The thirteenth century medallion remains have been
collected into the three lancets at the western end. Note especially the
plentiful and interesting fragments of the Tree of Jesse done in mosaic
style which has been introduced in two parallel columns into the central
lancet: the borders are contemporary. The side lancets are not so
satisfactorily filled, for the combination of strips of later glass
separated by equally wide ones of old grisaille, and all surrounded by
a rich old border on ruby and blue backgrounds, is not pleasing. The
medallions are interesting, but nothing like so fine as we shall see
elsewhere. We shall chiefly remember Salisbury Cathedral for the
effective glazing of its choir and transepts afforded by thirteenth
century grisaille eked out with good modern glass copied after it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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