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Not currently on display at the V&A

Fragment

16th century (painted)
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. Parts of many church windows in the Middle Ages were painted with just this simple silver stain and brown-black pigment. This highly popular method of decoration carried on well into the 16th century.

This fragment of decorated glass depicts a spray of stylised five-petalled flowers on a stem. The yellow petals are stained on the reverse of the glass and the details painted on the front in brown pigment. This fragment most likely was part of a trefoil-shaped (three-leaved) tracery panel of glass, which would have originally occupied the very top of a window in a church.

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 painted in yellow (silver) stain on the reverse and brown pigment on the front
Brief description
Clear glass painted in yellow (silver) stain and brown pigment depicting three five-petalled flowers on a branching stem. English, 16thc.
Physical description
Clear glass painted in yellow (silver) stain on the reverse and brown pigment on the front depicting three five-petalled flowers on a branching stem.
Dimensions
  • Height: 58.4cm
  • Width: 42.0cm
unframed composite panel
Credit line
Given by Mr. Grosvenor Thomas
Object history
This fragment has been placed in a panel with the following other fragments:
C.359-1915, C.331-1915, C.346-1915, C.347-1915, C.329-1915, C.366-1915, C.372-1915, C.388-1915, C.378-1915, C.363-1915, C.358-1915, C.320-1915, C.362-1915, C.316-1915, C.333-1915, C.324-1915, C.336-1915, C.337-1915, C.335-1915, C.338-1915, C.318-1915, C.321-1915, C.351-1915, C.374-1915, C.341-1915, C.343-1915, C.334-1915, C.344-1915, C.350-1915.
C.399-1915 has been assigned the overall museum number for this panel. It was previously recorded as 19FR2.
Historical context
The religious conflicts that affected the British Isles in the 16th and 17th centuries had a devasting 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 decorated glass depicts a spray of stylised five-petalled flowers on a stem. The yellow petals are stained on the reverse and the details painted on the front in brown pigment. This fragment most likely was part of a trefoil-shaped (three-leaved) tracery panel of glass which would have originally occupied the very top of a window in a church.

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. Parts of many church windows in the Middle Ages were painted with just this simple silver stain and brown pigment. This highly popular method of decoration carried on well into the 16th century.
Subject 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. Parts of many church windows in the Middle Ages were painted with just this simple silver stain and brown-black pigment. This highly popular method of decoration carried on well into the 16th century.

This fragment of decorated glass depicts a spray of stylised five-petalled flowers on a stem. The yellow petals are stained on the reverse of the glass and the details painted on the front in brown pigment. This fragment most likely was part of a trefoil-shaped (three-leaved) tracery panel of glass, which would have originally occupied the very top of a window in a church.

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.346-1915

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Record createdNovember 5, 2002
Record URL
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