Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/613

 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. 131 the presence of the whole.' For this very reason, it is a standard principle in heralchy, that colour on colour, or metal on metal, is false blazon — a fact which has been averred, from time to time, by all heraldic writers, and which, in short, is an heraldic law. It is true that a very few exceptions e.xist, such as the arms of Jerusalem. . . . For the forecoin'' ' DO reasons, it is absolutely necessary to thoroughly consider and study the principles of heraldry in connection with stained glass, as a key to the knowledge and understanding of the primary jjriuciples of colouring, and most especially of the primitive styles of which we are about to treat, which are, indeed, a sort of heraldry upon a large scale. The reason why this has not been generally comprehended, is, that these works have been viewed through a false medium in respect to the colours of which they are composed, namely, by considering them as yellow, blue, white, red, and green ; whereas, to understand them properly, and to account for the e.xtra- ordinary effect which these colours produce in combination, they must be considered both symbolically and heraldkalUj,as, the colours of the Church, and as the blazonry of our ancient nobility ; viz., as topaz, sapphire, pearl, ruby, and emerald ; " understanding them as a mosaic assemblage of gems, to which they bear so close a resemblance, rather than as a collection of painted colours. To illustrate this hi colouring, yellow and gi'eeu are mawkish and sickly in effect, while topaz and emerald are magnificent in depth and hue, especially when intermixed with rubies, sappliires, pearls, and gold, to which yellow glass approximates. And what can compare to the gold colour of glass ? It is almost ' more brilliant than the colour itself; nor until we are accustomed to view these works thus, are we likely to understand them aright. We may wonder how such astonishing effect can be practically produced, and one possessing such a charm, by a mere jissemblage of so many colours, without elucidating the mystery until wo invest them with a character of jewellery." (p. 1 .y " We have but little ancient glass left in its original state : and if the greatest care be not taken of that little, we shall have much less in a centur)-^ hence : so that real ancient models should be made available and strictly followed in all modern works, if the fact now admitted by all be worthy of consideration. — that the true and only stainhird of excellence is the medieval stijle of art. True it is that such a statement would have been deemed ridiculous twenty years ago. It would have been said that an improved knowledge of anatomy, of drawing, of perspective, of grouping, of effects, and the like, was so much greater than the ancient artists ever attained, that our painting on glass must needs be better than theirs. The pseudo-professors of an art which they did not comprehend, thus proceeded on modern .2^rinciplcs, never doubting that the success would be commen- surate with the plausible grounds of the theory. And what was the result? ^ If the author here alludes to the Joctrine ing by heraldic rules fails. of coinpleiiiciitnry colours, we will ask wlie- 9 Is Mr. Wariini^toii aware at what time ther the shield of the Percies, for instance, the pnietice was first introduced of blazoniiii; Azure, 5 fusils in fess Or, is to be considered the arms of noblemen by precious stones, in a satisfactory piece of colouring? If it is, it lieu of colours and metals.^ We suspect that must be from the accidental circumstance t!iat he is not. the blue is of a jnnple hue, or the yellow of an ' Qua-re, much more brilliant. — P. D. orange hue; and if so, his principle of colour-