Panel
ca. 1500-ca. 1515 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The west window at Fairford Church in Gloucestershire contains a masterful depiction of the Last Judgement. This theme had a very long history in medieval art in Europe. The elements portrayed are primarily taken from Revelation (the Apocalypse), the last book of the New Testament.
The angel here forms part of the company of heaven, surrounding the central image of Christ the Judge. These are the angels that hold the Instruments of the Passion of Christ - those items associated with his Crucifixion such as the lance, sponge and Crown of Thorns - as well as objects linked with the Day of Judgement. This angel might be holding a book.
The windows at Fairford Church were created by Netherlandish artists working in England. Since the time of Henry VI (reigned 1422-61 and 1470-1), stained glass workers in England had petitioned the crown in an attempt to prevent foreign craftsmen from infringing on their profession. Their attempts were largely unsuccessful, but the king did prohibit the importation of completed windows. Foreigners therefore had to set up their workshops in England, and probably had to rely on Englishmen for their workforce.
The angel here forms part of the company of heaven, surrounding the central image of Christ the Judge. These are the angels that hold the Instruments of the Passion of Christ - those items associated with his Crucifixion such as the lance, sponge and Crown of Thorns - as well as objects linked with the Day of Judgement. This angel might be holding a book.
The windows at Fairford Church were created by Netherlandish artists working in England. Since the time of Henry VI (reigned 1422-61 and 1470-1), stained glass workers in England had petitioned the crown in an attempt to prevent foreign craftsmen from infringing on their profession. Their attempts were largely unsuccessful, but the king did prohibit the importation of completed windows. Foreigners therefore had to set up their workshops in England, and probably had to rely on Englishmen for their workforce.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Clear and coloured glass with painted details and yellow (silver) stain |
| Brief description | Panel of stained, painted and clear glass depicting an angel. Made in England by unknown Netherlandish artists, about 1500-1515. |
| Physical description | Stained and painted glass panel depicting an angel, fragmentary. The remainder of the panel made up of modern clear glass quarries. The angel has long narrow wings rising straight up behind him. His right hand is resting on his chest and is holding what appears to be a book. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | AN ANGEL OF THE LAST JUDGEMENT
This angel comes from the bottom left corner of the upper half of the great west window of Fairford Church in Gloucestershire. The window shows the Last Judgement, but was badly damaged by a storm in 1703. The angel was restored to its present state shortly afterwards, and taken out and replaced by a new composition in a later restoration of the early 1860s.
England (Anglo-Netherlandish workshop at Westminster or Southwark), about 1500-15
Museum no. C.13-2004(2004 (PW)) |
| Object history | The history of the medieval glass between its removal from Fairford Church in the 19th century and its recent re-discovery in the G. King & Son workshop in Norwich is not known. The panels (C.12 & 13-2004) were found during the clearance of the King workshop in October 2003 and were sold to George Wigley. The great west window and those on other side were severely damaged in a storm that occured 26-27 November 1703. It is likely that this panel was removed from its original position in the 1860s during Sebastian Evans' (working for Chance Bros of Smethwick) restoration work. It is possible that this panel came from window w.I (CVMA numbering) / window 15 (19th century numbering). This is the great West window depicting the Last Judgement. Chance Bros. carried out extensive restoration work on this window. They removed much of what was left of the original glass and replaced it with their own reproductions. The angel here bears a strong resemblance to that inserted by Chance in the upper register of the main lights - light one, angel at the base. Historical significance: The glass from Fairford Church along with that at King's College Cambridge are major surviving ensembles of what is termed the 'Anglo-Netherlandish school of glass painting. |
| Historical context | The sponsor of the Fairford windows is unknown. However, given the vastness of the scheme it is most likely to have been undertaken with royal patronage. There are also royal symbols (Prince of Wales feathers and 'Ich dene' motto) scattered in some of the windows which possibly support this theory. |
| Production | In a Flemish/Brabatine style and to Continental designs. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | New Testament |
| Summary | The west window at Fairford Church in Gloucestershire contains a masterful depiction of the Last Judgement. This theme had a very long history in medieval art in Europe. The elements portrayed are primarily taken from Revelation (the Apocalypse), the last book of the New Testament. The angel here forms part of the company of heaven, surrounding the central image of Christ the Judge. These are the angels that hold the Instruments of the Passion of Christ - those items associated with his Crucifixion such as the lance, sponge and Crown of Thorns - as well as objects linked with the Day of Judgement. This angel might be holding a book. The windows at Fairford Church were created by Netherlandish artists working in England. Since the time of Henry VI (reigned 1422-61 and 1470-1), stained glass workers in England had petitioned the crown in an attempt to prevent foreign craftsmen from infringing on their profession. Their attempts were largely unsuccessful, but the king did prohibit the importation of completed windows. Foreigners therefore had to set up their workshops in England, and probably had to rely on Englishmen for their workforce. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.13-2004 |
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| Record created | April 2, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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