Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/188

170 14. Abraham and Isaac going to Mount Moriah. The wood borne by Isaac is in the form of a cross.

15. The sacrifice of Isaac.

17, 18, 19, represent butchers engaged in their trade. This shews that the window was given by the corporation of butchers, and is called by the authors the signature of the window.

This window is a fine specimen of the thirteenth century, and exhibits the usual characteristics of that period. The subjects are placed within medallions, and, from the large proportion they bear to the surrounding ornamental details, are the most prominent and striking objects in the design. The whole window presents to the eye one great mass of various colours, among which blue predominates, sparingly relieved with white.

The next fifteen plates represent windows in the same cathedral, resembling the last in general character, but differing from it in slight particulars of arrangement and colouring. Such windows are frequently termed by French antiquaries "mosaiques," to distinguish them from "grisailles," i.e. windows in which white glass predominates.

Plates No. 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, exhibit a series of windows, containing in each of their principal lights one large figure, drawn in a vigorous but stiff style, and standing under a low-crowned canopy, similar to those met with on the tombs and seals of the thirteenth century. The figures represented in these plates, besides the Virgin Mary and St. Stephen, are fifteen of the prophets, and the twelve Apostles, and evidently form part of the series of saints and prophets, which, according to M. Lasteyrie, (Histoire de la Peinture sur verre, p. 96.) occupy the clearstory windows of the choir of Bourges cathedral. The tracery lights of some of these windows are represented in Plate 28. The whole of these windows are richly coloured. The figures, from their great size, must have a magnificent effect, and are admirably calculated to adorn positions so distant from the eye. The original glass of the clearstory windows of Canterbury cathedral was somewhat similar in its arrangement; two figures, however, one above the other, appear to have occupied each of the lancets, of which that clearstory is composed.

Plate 19 represents figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary, each figure within the divine oval; these figures are of a very large size, and occupy a great portion of the lights in which they are placed.

Thirteen of the plates are called Planches d'étude, some of which are illustrative of the authors' views of symbolism; the subjects represented are taken partly from illuminations, but principally from glass at Bourges, Chartres, Tours, Beauvais, Mans, St. Denys, Lyons, Troyes, Strasbourg, Rheims, and Sens. Some of the plates exhibit details of the full size of the original glass; others give views of entire windows. Of these. No. 14, which represents a remarkably fine window of Strasbourg cathedral, is interesting, as exhibiting in particular the change from what we should call the Early English to the Decorated style of glass painting. This window