sent to the late Exhibition,[1] by Capronnier, Bertini, and others; so long may we expect in vain any improvement in the art to take place.
The painted glass in the Hall windows, of which there are three on the south, and four on the north side,—the hall running in the same line as the chapel,—consists of coats of arms exclusively. The following shields are of the same date as the original glazing in the chapel.
In the third window from the east on the north side, Argent, between two cherrons, sable, three roses or.—William of Wykeham. The shield is of the transitional character which prevailed on the confines of the Perpendicular style. The diaper closely resembles some ornament of similar date in the first window from the east, of the north chancel aisle; St. Thomas's Church, Salisbury. Each of the roses (which is turned the wrong side outwards) has a yellow centre, formed by grinding away the coloured surface of the ruby, here thin and smooth, and staining the white glass yellow. This is the earliest instance that I have yet met with of the practice.
Azure, a sword and key saltier wise, argent; in chief, a mitre of the second. The ancient arms of the See of Winchester.—See the seal of William of Wainflete, engraved in his Life by Chandler. The same bearing occurs in one of the windows of the choir clerestory of Winchester Cathedral, This building is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, from whose emblems the coat is principally composed.
In the second window from the east, on the north side—Argent, a cross gules. St. George.
- ↑ It is unfortunate that the opportunity so fairly offered of leading the public taste in a right direction by the award of the Fine Arts (No. XXX.) Jury, on the painted-glass in the late Exhibition, has been so completely thrown away. The worthlessness of the award must be evident to any one who really examined the specimens. It is, however, not singular that the work of Capronnier did not only receive no prize, but was not even considered worthy of mention, by judges who discovered so much merit in the works exhibited by Gerénte, Pugin and Hardman, Howe, Wailes, and O'Connor. M. Bontemps, in his" Examen historique et critique des verres, vitraux, cristaux, composant la Classe xxiv., de l'Exposition universelle de 1851," (Weale), very naturally expresses himself at a loss to discover on what principle the prizes were adjusted, [See p. 41, note; see also p. 52, note.] Most of my readers are aware that M. Bontemps has had great experience in painted glass during upwards of thirty years, and that he was elected an assessor of the jury XXIV. The section B of the above-mentioned pamphlet contains very just, though perhaps occasionally too good-natured criticisms on the glass paintings that were exhibited.
