Fragment
15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In contrast to traditional stained glass, which was coloured with metallic oxides when molten, this fragment was decorated using a new technique introduced in England in the early 14th century. This consisted of painting a compound of silver on the back of the glass. After firing in a kiln, the silver compound would turn yellow. Many panels from the 14th and 15th centuries are decorated simply in yellow (silver) stain and highlighted with a brown-black pigment.
This fragment of glass is a small section of the border of a round panel of decorated glass (roundel). Roundels were very popular in England and in the Netherlands in the 15th and 16th centuries. Roundels were displayed in secular settings as well as in churches. The subject matter portrayed on these roundels included images of saints and stories from the Bible.
The religious conflicts that affected the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries had a devastating effect upon the decorative arts and furnishings of the Christian church. Much of the medieval stained glass in churches and cathedrals was damaged and only survives in a fragmentary state.
This fragment of glass is a small section of the border of a round panel of decorated glass (roundel). Roundels were very popular in England and in the Netherlands in the 15th and 16th centuries. Roundels were displayed in secular settings as well as in churches. The subject matter portrayed on these roundels included images of saints and stories from the Bible.
The religious conflicts that affected the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries had a devastating effect upon the decorative arts and furnishings of the Christian church. Much of the medieval stained glass in churches and cathedrals was damaged and only survives in a fragmentary state.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Clear glass with brown pigment and yellow (silver) stain |
| Brief description | Fragment of clear glass painted in brown pigment and yellow (silver) stain. Part of the border of a decorated roundel. Possibly English, 15th century. Part of a circular border. Leaves reserved on and stems scratched through a black ground; borders of yellow stain. |
| Physical description | Clear glass painted on the front with a thick coat of brown pigment and on the reverse in silver stain. The design of acorns and oak leaves on a trailing stem is picked out from the brown pigment. It is part of the border of a roundel. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mr. Grosvenor Thomas |
| Historical context | The religious conflicts that affected the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries had a devastating effect upon the decorative arts and furnishings of the Christian church. Much of the stained glass in churches and cathedrals was damaged and only survives in a fragmentary state. This fragment of glass is a small section of the border of a round panel of decorated glass (roundel). Roundels were very popular in England and in the Netherlands in the 15th and 16th centuries. Roundels were displayed in secular settings as well as in churches. The subject matter portrayed on these roundels included images of saints and stories from the Bible. In contrast to traditional stained glass, which was coloured with metallic oxides when in a molten state, this fragment was decorated using a new technique introduced in England in the early 14th century. This consisted of painting a compound of silver on the back of the glass. After firing in a kiln, the silver compound turns yellow. Many panels from the 14th and 15th centuries are decorated simply in yellow (silver) stain and highlighted with a brown/black pigment. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | In contrast to traditional stained glass, which was coloured with metallic oxides when molten, this fragment was decorated using a new technique introduced in England in the early 14th century. This consisted of painting a compound of silver on the back of the glass. After firing in a kiln, the silver compound would turn yellow. Many panels from the 14th and 15th centuries are decorated simply in yellow (silver) stain and highlighted with a brown-black pigment. This fragment of glass is a small section of the border of a round panel of decorated glass (roundel). Roundels were very popular in England and in the Netherlands in the 15th and 16th centuries. Roundels were displayed in secular settings as well as in churches. The subject matter portrayed on these roundels included images of saints and stories from the Bible. The religious conflicts that affected the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries had a devastating effect upon the decorative arts and furnishings of the Christian church. Much of the medieval stained glass in churches and cathedrals was damaged and only survives in a fragmentary state. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.363-1915 |
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| Record created | November 5, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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