Ely_cathedral_+_stained_glass

(Left) Front view of The Ely Cathedral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Cathedral).

(Right) Plan of The Ely Cathedral (https://smarthistory.org/ely-cathedral/)

St. Catherine 61310-30
Unknown English artist, East Anglia
St. Andrew's Church, Wood Walton, Cambridgeshire
In this panel St. Catherine of Alexandria, a popular saint in medieval Europe, is seen with the wheel and sword used in her martyrdom. The pose of St. Catherine, and the use of the architectural canopy (or arch) to frame her figure is typical of English stained glass in this period.
Lent by the Friends of Friendless Churches, 1972
THE STAINED GLASS MUSUM (149202.4)

(Middle)
Donors William and Matilda Cele
C.1350-1400
Unknown English artist, East Anglia Original location unknown
Donor figures are portraits of those who paid for windows, and are fairly common in stained glass from the middle of the 13th century onwards. We know almost nothing about the Cele family, but these portraits have ensured that they are remembered today. This panel is thought to have come from a church in Suffolk.
Lent by The Victoria and Albert Museum, 2004
THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (L2004.2)
(Right)
Peasant Figure c.1340-49
Unknown English artist, East Anglia
From the Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral
This image of a peasant is rare in medieval stained glass, which usually shows religious or wealthy figures. It is also a rare survival from the stained glass windows in the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral. The Lady Chapel was richly coloured in the medieval period, but badly damaged during the Reformation.
Lent by the Dean & Chapter of Ely Cathedral, 1991
THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (L1991.4)

2319L, 2322R

(Left)

Angel Musician c.1440-80

Unknown English artist, Norwich

Original location probably Norfolk

This angel is typical of a unique painting style which existed in places such as Norwich, Kings Lynn and Bury St.

Edmunds in the Middle Ages. The 'ears of barley' motif that can be seen under the angel's feet can frequently be seen in work from these studios.

Lent by The Victoria and Albert Museum, 2004

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (L2004.3)

(Right)

Crowned Female Head c.1440-60

Unknown English artist, Norwich Original location probably Norfolk

It is uncertain whether this crowned female is a saint or possibly a depiction of the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven. Either way it is a fine piece. Great care has been taken to cut the head and crown from one piece of glass. The delicate painting of the face suggests it was made in Norwich around the turn of the fifteenth century.

Lent by The Victoria and Albert Museum, 2004

THE STAINED ACC AALISEUM (L2004.4)

2324, 2328, 2326

(Left)

Scene from the Life of St. Benedict c.1460-80

Unknown English artist, Norwich Original location probably Norfolk

It was common for images used in stained glass to also be adapted to wall paintings, and manuscript illustrations. This group closely resembles an image in the Bedford Breviary, a 15th-century manuscript. It shows St. Benedict as a boy being sent to school by his parents. He is carrying a horn book, which was used for learning the alphabet.

Lent by The Victoria and Albert Museum, 2004

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (L2004.5)

(Middle)

Commemorative Panel 1646

Swiss Attributed to Jakob Weber (active 1637-85)

This 17th-century Swiss scene commemorates the marriage of Fenderich Hans Stortzenneger and Elisabet Klausery in 1646. In the upper part of this panel a castle is under siege. Below, Stortzenneger is shown as a standard bearer in full armor, being offered a goblet by his wife.

Lent by The Victoria & Albert Museum, 1984

THE STAINED CLASS AUSELJA

(Right)

Nicholas Ridley c1650-1800

English

Probably from Leez Priory, Essex

Nicholas Ridley (1500-55) was Bishop of London and a leading Protestant reformer during the reign of King Edward VI (1547-53). Ridley was imprisoned by Queen Mary and declared a heretic. He was burnt at the stake in Oxford in 1555. The portrait of Ridley dates to the 17th-century, but a border dating to the 18th-century has been added later.

Purchased, 1995

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1979.1)

2336

Bust of a King c.1210

Unknown French artist

Choir clerestory, Soissons Cathedral, France

This panel shows the head and shoulders of an unidentified Old Testament King or royal saint. It would originally have been part of a complete figure, placed high up in the clerestory windows of Soissons Cathedral, France.

Purchased with the generous assistance of The Art Fund, The V&A Purchase Fund and The Friends of The Stained Glass Museum, 2003

V&A Purchase Grant Fund

2340

Geometric Grisaille c.1200-50

Unknown English artist

Unknown location, England

This panel may have been made for a Cistercian Church in England. The Cistercian monks preferred simple decorative patterns in their windows to aid meditation. This kind of glazing, made of predominantly clear or white glass, is known as grisaille.

Purchased with support from The Art Fund, The V&Achae

Purchase Fund & The Sue Pitt Appeal, 2005

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM Purchase Grant Fund, Art Fund (1990.4)

2345, 2348,2351

(Left)

St. Bartholomew c.1404-22

Attributed to Thomas of Oxford.

From the Nave Clerestory, Winchester Cathedral

This large figure of St. Bartholomew would have been viewed from a distance, high up in Winchester Cathedral. It was one of many windows funded by a bequest from the will of Bishop William of Wykeham (d.1404). The glazier Thomas of Oxford made lots of stained glass for Bishop Wykeham during his lifetime too.

Lent by The Victoria and Albert Museum, 2004

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (L2004.1)

(Middle)

The Annunciation to the Virgin c.1340

Unknown English artist, West Midlands

From the church of St. John the Baptist, Hadzor, Hereford & Worcester

The use of yellow (or silver) stain, invented at the beginning of the 14th century, can be seen in this panel. The stain is a silver compound which when fired in the kiln stains white glass yellow-orange. This development enabled the colouring of features such as hair and crowns much easier.

Gift of the Diocese of Worcester, 1976

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1976.4.1 and 1976.4.2)

(Right)

The Virgin Mary and Disciples at Christ's Ascension 1861

From St Peter the Great's Church, Worcester

This is the left-hand light of a three-light window. The figures were designed to look towards the centre panel (not displayed here) which shows Christ ascending to heaven. The design and colouring is Pre-Raphaelite in style.

Gift of the Diocese of Worcester, 1976

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1976.3.1)

2352, 2356, 2362

(Left)

St. Peter 1860s

From St Michael & All Angel's Church, Queen Street, Derby

Lavers & Barraud were one of many large London studios established in the 1850s who employed freelance designers. The purple glass at the base of the window showing St. Peter, the 'fisher of men' is degrading due to an imbalance of chemicals in the glass.

Gift of the Derby Diocesan Advisory Committee, 1983

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1983.19.1b)

(Middle)

The Face of My Father 1892

From Christ Church, Lancaster Gate, London

The title of this panel refers to a line in the Bible from St. Matthew: 'in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father'. Several stained glass windows were removed from Christ Church before it was demolished. It was part of a window illustrating Christ blessing the little children.

Gift of the Diocese of London, 1978

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1978.6))

(Right)

St. Michael 1876

From St Michael & All Angels' Church, Weybridge, Surrey

Wooldridge was a studio assistant to Edward Burne-Jones in the 1860s, and later to Henry Holiday, both of whom designed stained glass for Powell & Sons. This figure of St. Michael has suffered some paint loss, caused by the use of borax, a water soluble flux, used to lower the temperature of firing.

Gift of the Diocesan Advisory Committee, 1973

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1973.2.1)

2365

Fathers of the Church 1904

From the Church of St Paul, New Cross, Manchester

This panel is from an enormous window (seen in the framed picture below) which once adorned a large church in Manchester, now demolished. St. Augustine can be seen on the left, the Venerable Bede in the centre and St. Cuthbert, Abbot of Lindisfarne, on the right.

Gift of the Diocese of Manchester, 1982

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (1982.16.4)

2418, 2428

(Left)

St. Wilfred and St. John Berchmans, and the Presentation of our Lady in the Temple was originally made for the Lady Chapel,

Convent of Notre Dame, Dowanhill, Glasgow in 1927 (3 shots synthesised).

(Right)

Monkey vice panels & Man Smoking Clay Pipe 17th century

Dutch

These panels are based on a series of paintings by Flemish artist David Teniers the Younger (1610-90). He depicted monkeys carrying out human activities in a number of his paintings as a way of mocking certain activities and characters within his society. . The series of monkeys are shown drinking, gambling and playing a musical instrument, and are intended to depict vices.

Bequest of M.S. Rickard, 2008

THE STAINED GLASS MUSEUM (2008.5.1)

The interior of the Cathedral