About the year 1844, when John Martin, the historical painter, was
examined before the Parliamentary Committee on Arts and Manufactures, he
was questioned as to the information he had collected on the subject of
glass-painting. To this he replied, “Glass-painting has fallen almost to
the same level as china-painting; but it might be greatly improved now
to what it was in ancient times. There is an ignorant opinion among the
people that the ancient art of glass-painting is completely lost: it is
totally void of foundation; for we can carry it to a much higher pitch
than the ancients, except in one particular colour, which is that of
ruby, and we come very near to that. We can blend the colours, and
produce the effect of light and shadow, which they could not do, by
harmonizing and mixing the colours in such a way, and fixing by proper
enameling and burning, that they shall afterwards become just as
permanent as those of the ancients, with the additional advantage of
throwing in superior art.” Martin began life as a painter on glass. One
of his earliest pictures was for the conservatory at the mansion of the
Marquess of Wellesley, at Knightsbridge.
“SITTING FOR THE HAND.”
If you have an artist for a friend, (says N. P. Willis,) he makes use of
you while you call, to “sit for the hand” of the portrait on his easel.
Having a preference for the society of artists myself, and frequenting
their studios considerably, I know of some hundred and fifty
unsuspecting gentlemen on canvas, who have procured, for posterity and
their children, portraits of their own heads and dress-coats to be sure,
but of the hands of other persons.