Charles Winston

“ The ancient artist alone should be permitted to address himself to us through them. A figure which has lost its head, or is otherwise mutilated, no doubt renders a glass painting defective; but it is far more disagreeable to detect an imperfect, or conjectural "restoration," of an ancient work. Indeed the restoration is the more dangerous in proportion to its deceitfulness—its similitude to the ancient work. A practised observer may discover the cheat, which therefore only excites his suspicions as to the originality of the rest of the painting ”

“ A very little attention to the subject, would soon enable any artist to pronounce an opinion as to the suitableness of a design for a glass painting, as well as upon the merits of the work itself when executed; and as the good effect of every glass painting depends in reality, less on the mere technicalities of detail, than on composition, artistical feeling, goodness and character of outline; we are sure that artists should always be consulted as to the choice of one of several designs. We are convinced that a tribunal of antiquaries and amateurs exclusively, would fail in its object. ”

“ Farmer, and other true preservers of ancient glass, have been greater benefactors to the art itself, and are even more deserving of our praise, than those, who with perhaps more ostentation, and with a hardly increased outlay, erect modern painted windows as monuments of their own liberality. ”

“ We quite agree, that if the style of any one period is selected as that in which an intended glass painting is to be executed, that style must be entirely followed, consequently the painter is not at liberty to import into a painting, designed in an early style, the improvements of a later period; but he should always select as his model the best and most artistical specimens of the particular style adopted, and endeavour to enter into their spirit. This, we apprehend, is the view an artist would take of the subject. ”

“ It would hardly be proper in a publication like the present, to pass over without notice the most brilliant of the pictorial arts—that of glass painting, as practised by our medieval ancestors. We therefore gladly embrace the present opportunity of directing the attention of our readers to the subject, with a view not only to the preservation of existing specimens of ancient painted glass, but to the ultimate and complete revival of the art itself. ”

“ Let us not be supposed by this to condemn the present preference for imitations of ancient glass,—far from it; being ourselves very ardent admirers of ancient painted glass, we are the more anxious to see real imitations of it,—such works indeed as may resemble ancient authorities in spirit, that is, in artistical feeling and composition. ”

“ We have that confidence in the energy, industry, and skill of our native artists, that we feel assured that with fair play, and proper encouragement, we should witness them not only soon successfully imitating ancient glass paintings, but even at length bringing the art itself to a degree of perfection which it has never yet attained. ”

“ It may be allowable, in some cases, to fill the place of what must have been plain colour with a corresponding plain piece of coloured glass; or even perhaps to restore a portion of ornament, or other matter, where sufficient authority exists for the restoration; but in all other cases, it is safest to make up the deficiency with a piece of plain white glass, slightly dulled, or smeared over, so as to subdue its brilliancy [1] . It should never be forgotten, that the value of an ancient authority depends upon its originality. The moment it is tampered with, its authenticity is impaired. ”

“ No real artist would submit to its decision. Such judges would often be misled by a reverence for mere antiquity, and correctness of detail; and for want of that experience which nothing but an habitual, and professional contemplation of works of art can give, would often fail to appreciate the most truly artistical design. ”

“ It is lamentable to think of the quantities of old glass that have been, and are in process of being, wholly lost through neglect alone. An ancient glass painting is composed of many pieces of glass, of various sizes, held together by means of leads, i. e. narrow strips of that metal, having a groove on either side sufficiently wide to receive the edges of the glass. From age, and other causes, the leads become decayed; a piece of glass drops, or is blown out of the leads by the wind; the leads, deprived of its support, become gradually relaxed in other parts ”

“ We would strongly recommend the adoption of some vigorous measure for raising the standard of taste in regard to glass painting: it is absurd to leave things as they are. It should be recollected that every bad glass painting may be considered almost as an absolute waste of so much money as has been expended upon it. ”

“ We are aware that it is the practice of many glass painters to employ artists to make their designs for them, and afterwards to pass them off as their own. And as our chief object would be to secure a fair trial, and to raise the character of glass painting as an art, we think that each competitor should be required himself to design, and execute some subject, under the inspection of competent judges. No true artist would shun this ordeal ”

“ However justly we may condemn the mode of execution, and the design of the works of that period, as being contrary to the fundamental principles of glass painting, and unsuitable to the nature of painted windows, we cannot deny the artistical character of such works, in general. At the present day, however, although we see the practical part of glass painting conducted according to truer principles, it is seldom that we meet with a window which is really entitled to be regarded as a work of art. ”

“ We would therefore wish to see glass painting regarded again as an art, not as a mere decorative trade; and we would advise all persons to bestow their patronage in future with discrimination, making the artistical skill and knowledge of the practitioner the principal cause of his employment. By acting thus, we should not only stimulate to further exertion such of the present glass painters as are entitled to be called artists, but open as it were a new field of enterprize to artists, and encourage them to enter upon it. ”

“ It is a common opinion that in the earlier styles of glass painting in particular, the representations of the human figure are unartistical, and ridiculous, because generally out of drawing, and sometimes grotesque. ”

“ Upon the whole, we are inclined to think, that the period embracing the latter part of the last, and the commencement of this century, was more favourable to a development of art in glass painting, than the present age. ”

“ By an indiscriminate exercise of patronage, we have greatly discouraged those few artists who already practise glass painting, and have deterred others from adopting it: our glass paintings are gradually becoming more correct in point of ornamental detail, but we see little amendment in respect of general design, and artistical feeling. ”

“ There is no true artist who would not rather contemplate an antique torso, in its mutilated condition, than however well restored to what, according to conjecture, might have been its original state. These venerable remains ought to be preserved intact. ”

“ If then the ancient glass paintings are so replete with good taste, and proper artistical feeling as we have asserted, and upon which point we fear no contradiction, it follows, that in order successfully to imitate them, we must employ those who possess these artist-like qualities. ”

“ If a showy effect is desired, that can be safely obtained by supplying in a copy all the defective parts of the original. Good taste is better evinced by treating an ancient specimen of glass as an authority, than as a mere matter of ornament. ”

“ In those cases, however, where there is sufficient evidence to shew the original situation of the glass, it ought certainly to be put back again: as, for instance, the glass of the clear-story windows of the choir of Canterbury cathedral, the greatest part of which, being now scattered about other windows of that building, and mixed with other glass of various dates and styles, no longer affords, at least to the casual observer, any idea of its original arrangement; and by the generality of persons passes wholly unnoticed. ”

“ The models for our imitation are consequently of somewhat ancient date; their number is daily diminishing; and we therefore cannot too strongly urge upon all, especially upon those charged with this duty, the extreme importance of preserving what time and violence have spared. ”

“ The means that we would propose for effectuating this object would principally be, the subjecting to competition at least all the greater intended works in painted glass, and the submitting the rival designs to the judgment of competent persons, in whom artistical competitors might be induced therefore to place confidence. ”

“ The rust of antiquity, therefore, greatly adds to the effect of an early glass painting, by increasing its breadth and harmony. A later glass painting requires no such adventitious aid. Larger pieces of glass are mostly employed in its construction, and thus its individual colours (which possess a greater equality of depth than those of early paintings) are originally arranged in broad and distinct masses. Amongst other late windows which we think have been improved by cleaning, we may mention those superb specimens of cinque cento art, the windows of St. ”

“ We are unwilling to take leave of this portion of our subject without a slight reference to the cleaning of painted windows, concerning which some difference of opinion we believe exists. All, we trust, are agreed as to the degree of caution which ought to be observed in such a matter. ”