Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sacred Silver & Stained Glass, Room 83, The Whiteley Galleries

Panel

1845 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This panel formed part of the east window of Holy Trinity Church in Carlisle, which depicted scenes from the life of Christ. The window was supported by symbols of the Four Evangelists, each bearing scrolls containing prophetic texts from the Old Testament. The text of the scroll here, non dabis sanct[um] tuum videre corruption[em] (‘Thou shalt not suffer thine holy body to see corruption’), is from Psalm 15, and refers to the Resurrection of Christ.

The window was designed by Thomas Willement, a stained-glass artist of the Gothic Revival An entry in his account book for February 1845 describes the window, which had the Crucifixion in the centre.

Unfortunately, the church was demolished in 1982 because of its poor condition. Two panels by Willement from the church were given to the Victoria and Albert Museum (the other is Museum number: C.150-1980, depicting the Presentation of Christ in the Temple). Two other panels, the Nativity and the Emblem of St Matthew, are in the Stained Glass Museum in Ely. We do not know what happened to the rest of the window.

Thomas Willement (1786–1871) was Heraldic Artist to George IV and Artist in Stained Glass to Queen Victoria. He opened a workshop in London and began designing stained-glass windows in 1812. He pioneered a return to the true principles of medieval craftsmanship, using lead to emphasise the main outlines of the design and to join the pieces of glass together. He introduced colour into his works by using ‘pot metal’ glass, that is, glass coloured by metallic oxides. This reduced the need for enamel paints.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Stained and painted glass
Brief description
Panel of clear, coloured and flashed glass with painted details and silver stain. Made by Thomas Willement for Holy Trinity Church, Carlisle. English, 1845.
Physical description
A central quatrefoil with an eagle is surrounded by vine leaves. At the top is an inscription and at the lower left hand side the date' [1]845' while at the lower right hand side there are diamond forms enclosing quatrefoil-shaped leaves.
Dimensions
  • Height: 970mm
  • Width: 490mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
'non dabis Sanct tuum videre corruption / [1]845' (Decoration; Latin; Willement; 1845)
Translation
'You will not suffer Your Holy One to see corruption.' [The 't' of 'Sanct' and the 'n' of 'corruption' have a form of diacritial mark above them and are shortened forms of the Biblical text: Sanctum...corruptionem.]
Credit line
Given by Holy Trinity Church, Carlisle.
Object history
From the East Window of Holy Trinity Church, Carlisle, demolished in about 1980.

Historical significance: The inscription is taken from Psalms 16:10b which is quoted by Peter in his Pentecostal speech to the people, Acts 2:27b, where it is taken to prefigure the Resurrection.
Production
Reason For Production: Commission
Summary
This panel formed part of the east window of Holy Trinity Church in Carlisle, which depicted scenes from the life of Christ. The window was supported by symbols of the Four Evangelists, each bearing scrolls containing prophetic texts from the Old Testament. The text of the scroll here, non dabis sanct[um] tuum videre corruption[em] (‘Thou shalt not suffer thine holy body to see corruption’), is from Psalm 15, and refers to the Resurrection of Christ.

The window was designed by Thomas Willement, a stained-glass artist of the Gothic Revival An entry in his account book for February 1845 describes the window, which had the Crucifixion in the centre.

Unfortunately, the church was demolished in 1982 because of its poor condition. Two panels by Willement from the church were given to the Victoria and Albert Museum (the other is Museum number: C.150-1980, depicting the Presentation of Christ in the Temple). Two other panels, the Nativity and the Emblem of St Matthew, are in the Stained Glass Museum in Ely. We do not know what happened to the rest of the window.

Thomas Willement (1786–1871) was Heraldic Artist to George IV and Artist in Stained Glass to Queen Victoria. He opened a workshop in London and began designing stained-glass windows in 1812. He pioneered a return to the true principles of medieval craftsmanship, using lead to emphasise the main outlines of the design and to join the pieces of glass together. He introduced colour into his works by using ‘pot metal’ glass, that is, glass coloured by metallic oxides. This reduced the need for enamel paints.
Collection
Accession number
C.151-1980

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Record createdJuly 15, 1998
Record URL
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