Monumental brass depicting Robert Alee,from Dunstable Priory church, Bedfordshire, 1518

Monumental brass depicting Robert Alee.

Gift from Arthur G Binns in 1922.

These brasses, from Dunstable Priory Church depict Robert Alee and his first wife Elizabeth in funeral shrouds. We know from an inscription and documents of Dunstable Church that Alee had brasses made of both his wives, (second wife was called Agnes) and his sons and daughters by both marriages. The brasses are dated in the inscription to 1518

Historical significance: Memorial brasses are important sources of information about clothing, armour, status and social aspirations as they are often accompanied by inscriptions and are one of the few examples of medieval art that is consistently dated. This one has unfortunately been separated from its inscription, however documentation from the Priory Church of St Peter in Dunstable tells us the identity of the figures and the date the brasses were made.

Memorial brasses were made throughout Europe from the 13th until nearly the end of the 17th century. The practice was revived in the 19th century. Brasses were fitted onto the lids of tombs and memorial slabs to commemorate the lives of the deceased. Brass or latten (copper alloy) memorials were a cheaper alternative to sculpted stone memorials.

English brasses survive and were perhaps made in greater numbers than those elsewhere in Europe.They commemorated a broad cross-section of society. Bishops, knights, esquires, merchants and prosperous farmers made up the clientele. The wealthiest ranks of society opted for more elaborate stone monuments. In continental Europe, however, brasses were commonly the preserve of the aristocracy.

The brass as a raw material was imported from continental Europe, especially Cologne, the Netherlands and Belgium. By far the greatest number of brasses are now found in the eastern counties, particularly Kent, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, close to ports with connections to Germany and the Netherlands. English brasses in the 13th and 14th centuries are distinctive in their style and technique, in having the figure commemorated, and its accompanying inscription, usually cut out to the outline, whereas the continental examples are more often engraved onto a plain rectangle.

From Dunstable Priory Church, Bedfordshire

This brass, from Dunstable Priory church, Bedfordshire, shows Robert Alee naked,with his eyes open, wrapped in his funeral shroud, with his hands together in prayer. This shows the moment just before the Last Judgement, when it was believed that the soul returned to the physical body. The image was a reminder to onlookers to pray for the soul of the dead man.We know from an inscription and documents that Alee had brasses made for himself and both his wives, (first wife Elizabeth, second wife Agnes) and his sons and daughters by both marriages. The brasses are dated in the inscription to 1518.

Memorial brasses were made throughout Europe from the 13th until nearly the end of the 17th century. The practice was revived in the 19th century. Brasses were fitted onto the lids of tombs and memorial slabs to commemorate the deceased. Brass or latten (copper alloy) memorials were a cheaper alternative to sculpted stone memorials.

M.124-1922