Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ironwork, Room 114d

Chancel Screen

ca. 1646 (made)
Artist/Maker
Reifell, Johann (maker)
Place of origin
Switzerland (made)

The screen is now painted black, and seems already to have been black on its acquisition in 1890. However scientific analysis by the Museum in the 1980s has revealed numbers of underlying paint layers in blue, with gilding. It seems likely that it was originally blue with gilding, a colour scheme favoured in the 17th century for ironwork.


Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Architectural Fittings
Ironwork
Object type
Chancel screen
Parts
This object consists of 5 parts.

  • Screen
  • Screen
  • Screen
  • Screen
  • Screen
Materials and techniques
Wrought iron, painted
Wrought Iron
Pigment
Hammering
Painting (Coating)
Brief description
Chancel screen, wrought iron, Switzerland, ca. 1646
Physical description
Upper part of a Chancel screen, wrought iron. Probably made by Johann Reifell in c.1646 for the Cathedral in Constance, Switzerland. The screen comprising scrolling floral motifs with winged figures, balusters and archway, originally painted in light blue and gold. The use of flat balusters and especially arcades to obtain the effects of perspective is a characteristic novelty of Reifell's work. Further examples are still in Constance Cathedral, and in the graveyard at Kostel, Moravia.
Dimensions
  • Height: 3.7m
  • Width: 3.8m
Gallery label
  • PART OF A CHANCEL SCREEN Wrought iron Switzerland; c.1646 From Constance Cathedral, Lucerne, by John Russell. The imitation in flat iron balusters and arcades especially to obtain the effects of perspective is a characteristic novelty of his work. Further examples are still to be seen in Constance Cathedral and in the grave-yard at Kostel, Moravia. Later 17th century examples can be found at the Stiftskirche, Ellwangn and at St Ulrich's Church, Augsburg. Traces of paint and gilding. Museum No. 57-1890(07/1994)
  • PART OF A CHANCEL SCREEN Wrought iron Switzerland; about 1646, Probably made by Johann Reifell A study of the paint layers on this church screen, probably designed for Constance Cathedral in Switzerland, showed that it was once painted light blue and gold. The pattern of receding columns has created dramatic perspective effects. Museum No. 57:1-5-1890 (02/08/2013)
Object history
The screen is now painted black, and seems already to have been black on its acquisition in 1890. However scientific analysis by the Museum in the 1980s has revealed numbers of underlying paint layers in blue, with gilding. It seems likely that it was originally blue with gilding, a colour scheme favoured in the 17th century for ironwork.
Production
The association with the maker Johann Reifell and the attribution to Constance Cathedral was made by J. Starkie Gardner.
Summary
The screen is now painted black, and seems already to have been black on its acquisition in 1890. However scientific analysis by the Museum in the 1980s has revealed numbers of underlying paint layers in blue, with gilding. It seems likely that it was originally blue with gilding, a colour scheme favoured in the 17th century for ironwork.
Bibliographic references
  • Gardner, John Starkie. Ironwork. Part 2: Continental ironwork of the renaissance and later periods. London, 1896. p.30, pl.10
  • Campbell, Marian. An Introduction to Ironwork. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1985. 48 p., ill. ISBN 0112904157 pp.10-11, fig.7
  • M.Campbell, 'Decorative Ironwork', V&A Publishing, London, 1997, p. 20, fig. 20
  • Encyclopaedia of Ironwork: Examples of hand wrought iron from the Middle Ages to the end of the Eighteenth century. 1927. pl.179.
  • Höver, Otto. Das Eisenwerk: Die Kunstformen des Schmiedeeisens vom Mittelalter bis zum ausgang des 18 Jahrhunderts. Tubingen, 1961.
  • Baur-Heinhold, Margarete. Schmiedeeisen : Gitter, Tore u. Geländer. München : Callwey, 1977. 176 p., ill. ISBN 3766704079 Fig.224
  • Ingram, H. V. Wrought-iron Gates. Country Life. Jan. 20th 1950. pp. 156-157.
  • Hall, Michael. No Barriers to the Imagination. Country Life. Sept. 3rd 1992. pp.54-55.
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
57:1 to 5-1890

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O373624/chancel-screen-reifell-johann/
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