Grille
1480-1500 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This grille, also known as a vizzy or a guichet, is made from wrought iron. It resembles wattle work (rods on stakes interwoven with twigs or tree branches). Ironwork of this kind was often used in churches. This particular piece may have formed part of a confessional, an enclosure in which members of the congregation confessed their sins to a priest.
Technique
The technique of creating wrought iron to look like wattle was not well known in England. Examples of a similar style and date can be seen at the H“tel de Ville, Louvain, Belgium, and at the Great Church, Breda, The Netherlands.
People & Places
This grille may be from St George's Chapel, Windsor, Berkshire. The chapel was built by Edward IV (ruled 1461-1470, 1471-1483) in the last years of his reign. The coat of arms on the grille includes the cross of St George, patron saint of England. Several stylistic details are also close to surviving ironwork at Windsor. The gates of Edward IV's chantry chapel (a chapel endowed for the saying of masses for the founder's soul) form one of the most impressive pieces of 15th-century ironwork in Europe. There are also several examples of quality ironwork from the chapel. Several of these are thought to have been made either by John Tresilian of London or by a blacksmith from, or trained in, The Netherlands.
This grille, also known as a vizzy or a guichet, is made from wrought iron. It resembles wattle work (rods on stakes interwoven with twigs or tree branches). Ironwork of this kind was often used in churches. This particular piece may have formed part of a confessional, an enclosure in which members of the congregation confessed their sins to a priest.
Technique
The technique of creating wrought iron to look like wattle was not well known in England. Examples of a similar style and date can be seen at the H“tel de Ville, Louvain, Belgium, and at the Great Church, Breda, The Netherlands.
People & Places
This grille may be from St George's Chapel, Windsor, Berkshire. The chapel was built by Edward IV (ruled 1461-1470, 1471-1483) in the last years of his reign. The coat of arms on the grille includes the cross of St George, patron saint of England. Several stylistic details are also close to surviving ironwork at Windsor. The gates of Edward IV's chantry chapel (a chapel endowed for the saying of masses for the founder's soul) form one of the most impressive pieces of 15th-century ironwork in Europe. There are also several examples of quality ironwork from the chapel. Several of these are thought to have been made either by John Tresilian of London or by a blacksmith from, or trained in, The Netherlands.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Wrought iron |
| Brief description | Grille (view through grille), wrought iron, with decorative coat of arms incorporating the cross of St George, made in England, 1480 - 1500 |
| Physical description | Vizzy or peep-hole for a door designed like a fantastic piece of miniature architecture. It is divided into three panels: one across the lower part and two narrower panels across the top. The lower panel is backed by a light quatrefoil tracery in front of which are five moulded pilasters. These are linked together half-way up by wattlework and end in crocketed finials. The upper panels are designed as two lancets with crocketed finials. They are filled with delicate reticulated tracery. The space above the lancets is also filled with flamboyant tracery. Across the central mullion is a shield with a cross on it. The lower frame of the vizzy is bordered by a cable pattern. The upper frame has a cable moulding, panel of mouchettes, a pelleted moulding and is topped by crenellations. |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type This grille, also known as a vizzy or a guichet, is made from wrought iron. It resembles wattle work (rods on stakes interwoven with twigs or tree branches). Ironwork of this kind was often used in churches. This particular piece may have formed part of a confessional, an enclosure in which members of the congregation confessed their sins to a priest. Technique The technique of creating wrought iron to look like wattle was not well known in England. Examples of a similar style and date can be seen at the H“tel de Ville, Louvain, Belgium, and at the Great Church, Breda, The Netherlands. People & Places This grille may be from St George's Chapel, Windsor, Berkshire. The chapel was built by Edward IV (ruled 1461-1470, 1471-1483) in the last years of his reign. The coat of arms on the grille includes the cross of St George, patron saint of England. Several stylistic details are also close to surviving ironwork at Windsor. The gates of Edward IV's chantry chapel (a chapel endowed for the saying of masses for the founder's soul) form one of the most impressive pieces of 15th-century ironwork in Europe. There are also several examples of quality ironwork from the chapel. Several of these are thought to have been made either by John Tresilian of London or by a blacksmith from, or trained in, The Netherlands. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 138-1889 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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