This fragment is one of the many collected by an English stained-glass enthusiast. Stained and decorated glass was often removed from its original location and dispersed during religious and political upheaval. Much survived in a fragmentary state, as here. Collectors bought glass panels and fragments and leaded them up together for display in their own homes.

This fragment illustrates one of the new techniques for decorating glass that were introduced in the mid 16th century. Glassmakers used paints known as 'enamels' to paint directly onto the surface of the glass, similar to painting onto a canvas. The colours were produced by adding metallic oxides to a ground glass (frit) mixture. The resulting colour range included the delicate pinks, reds and purples shown here.