Before crossing the threshold into the two next periods (the Decorated
and Perpendicular), it is worth pausing to notice that although
architecture generally tends to elaborate as time goes on, the opposite
was true in England during the two centuries of which we are about to
speak. In fact, the work of the earlier of these two epochs obviously
deserves the title of "Decorated" and the later does not. Its glass,
too, is much more florid than its successor, and is far more ambitiously
ornamental. It bears many bits of leafy foliage, twining vine tendrils,
&c., all drawn as true to life as possible. Later these bits of flora
are rarely used, and then only in a conventional and, therefore, less
decorative form. In our introduction we have stated that in England, the
arrival of the fourteenth century does not show the abrupt difference
found in France between the light-obscuring mosaic glass of the
thirteenth century and the fainter tints of the fourteenth, permitting
the brighter interior then demanded. The explanation seems to be
that the English, having been early forced by cloudy skies to use
light-admitting grisaille (either alone, or combined with their early
medallions) already enjoyed the proper illumination which, at the
beginning of the fourteenth century, was so lacking in France as to
bring about a cry for light at any cost. In place of the early
fourteenth century glare that strikes one at Sees, Evreux, and in St.
Ouen at Rouen, we have rich strong colour in their contemporaries at
Tewkesbury, Wells and Bristol. Occasionally grisaille will be found
pleasantly combined with small coloured scenes, as at Dorchester and in
Merton Chapel, Oxford, but even then it seems much like a local survival
of the thirteenth century tradition. So much for the difference between
the English Decorated and the French fourteenth century windows. Now let
us briefly consider what it was that succeeded to the mosaic medallion
style seen at Canterbury, Lincoln, &c., and also what causes must have
been at work to produce the change. About the end of the thirteenth
century there chanced to be discovered a method of producing yellow
which obviated the necessity of cutting out a piece of glass of that
tint and laboriously leading it into the picture where needed, as was
still obligatory if they wanted blue or red, &c. Some lucky glazier
stumbled on the fact that if chloride of silver be put on a sheet of
glass it would, when exposed to the fire, produce a handsome golden
stain, and that only at the points to which it was applied. Many
stories are related to explain this discovery, but as they are all more
pleasing than convincing, it seems best to credit Dame Fortune with this
valuable assistant to the glazier. It is obvious that this facility in
staining a touch of yellow just at the point desired by the artist was
eagerly seized upon. He at once made use of it to decorate the robes of
great personages, or to brighten the hair of women and angels, as well
as to liven any bits of stonework necessary to his drawing. It made
possible the development of an unimportant detail in the earlier windows
into the perfected result called the "Canopy window," which we shall
learn to know as a most useful and satisfactory combination of
decoration and serviceability. It will be remembered that from the
earliest times there frequently appeared above the heads of saints
certain conventional coverings meant to indicate an architectural
shelter. Upon the arrival of the Decorated period this detail became
more complete, the roof being fully depicted (although as yet in flat
drawing, with no attempt at perspective) and columns added at the side
to support it, thus completely enclosing the little figures in a niche.
Here we have the first, or Decorated canopy, now complete in form
although crude. It must be noticed, however, that these canopies,
generally drawn to a small scale, do not attempt alone to fill the
embrasures, and either are shown in bands across a ground of grisaille
or occur alone surrounded by grisaille. Their architectural portion is
of a strong brassy yellow, that colour being provided by pot metal glass
leaded in. Now comes the next and final development. The discovery of
yellow stain did away with the laborious need for leading in the yellow
bits to simulate stonework, so the limit as to size of the canopy was
removed, and at once they began to increase in dimensions. The obvious
result ensued, each canopy was made to fill an entire lancet, its
simulated stonework occupying as much surface as the enclosed figure,
and we have the logical whole of a decorative colour panel within
surrounded by a frame of lighter panes which admit the necessary amount
of illumination. So satisfactory did this style of window prove that it
persisted longer than almost any other type of glazing, and we must
remember it is the discovery of yellow stain that we have to thank for
making this result possible.
During the period we are now considering, the canopy was, of course,
rather crude, in fact it looked more like a sentry-box than anything
else. There was as yet no pedestal beneath it, and the pinnacles at the
top showed entire ignorance of perspective, as well as of drawing in
relief. During the Perpendicular period that followed, they did little
but elaborate this canopy idea, combining and softening the colours so
as to prevent jarring contrasts, and generally much improving the
logical combination of a coloured central portion surrounded by
light-admitting canopy framing. Without the use of yellow stain all this
would have been difficult, if not impossible, for without the little
touches of gold livening the grey stonework these canopies would have
been dull and unconvincing.
Nor was this the only novelty in the method of imparting colour to
glass. They now began to enrich their palettes by coating one colour
with another, thus getting a tint not before obtainable. For example,
red on blue gave a rich purple, blue on yellow a fine green, &c. This
was effected in a very simple manner. Suppose the glass-blower wanted a
purple--he dipped his pipe into liquid blue glass, and started to blow
his bubble. When it began to take shape he dipped the small bubble into
liquid red glass and then finished his blowing. This last dipping of
course coated the outside of the blue bubble with red, and when it was
completely blown, cut and opened out, it produced a sheet which was red
on one side and blue on the other. Held up to the light, the red and
blue combined to produce purple. Nor did the glass-blower confine
himself to combinations of two colours, for the writer knows of an
instance in France showing six superimposed coats. The French call this
"verre double" (or lined glass), a very descriptive name. In passing we
may say that although this manner of colouring glass first reached
prominence during the Decorated period, it was but an elaboration of the
way the ruby or red glass had always been made, _i.e._, coated on to the
colourless glass.
We have said that the earlier canopies did not have pedestals below
them. This lack was soon noted, and the need was felt for something to
complete them below; the first expedient hit upon for this purpose was
shields gay with heraldic tinctures. Not only were these decorative, but
we shall learn at Tewkesbury and Gloucester how valuable they have
proved to be in enabling those learned in heraldry definitely to date
windows whose histories have long since been forgotten.
It must not be overlooked that the architect had much to do with the
development from the mosaic to the canopy style. He decided to change
from the wide single windows that one sees at Salisbury, and to
substitute for them groups of narrower lights separated only by slender
stone mullions and all bound together at the top and tapered off by a
pyramid of smaller openings called tracery lights. These latter will be
particularly enjoyed by the glass-lover while studying this period, for
the Decorated glazier was singularly happy in his treatment of these
smaller panes--much more so, in fact, than his successor of the
Perpendicular era, who was obliged to conform to the stiff little
pill-boxes provided for him by the architect. The use of vines and
leaves was of great assistance in this problem of treating small
irregular openings; nor were these the only motives--at Wells there is a
very happy use of busts filling small trefoils.
Besides the canopy treatment, the English glazier of the Decorated
period was very fond of the Tree of Jesse theme, and, as is usually the
case with congenial tasks, obtained most satisfactory results. He used
it to great effect in his broad windows made up of several narrow
lights, separated by slender mullions. The very shape of these windows
invited this design, because a separate branch of the vine bearing its
little personages could be run up each lancet without disturbing the
coherence of the picture. The men of that time used the Tree of Jesse
nearly as much as did their fellow craftsmen across the Channel during
the sixteenth century. In France the descendants of Jesse almost always
appear as blossoms on the vine, but their earlier English prototypes
usually stand in small cartouches formed by convolutions of the vine.
This brings us to yet another reason why the Decorated glazier liked the
Tree of Jesse. We have already stated that he was much given to
introducing leaves, tendrils, &c., done in the natural manner, which, of
course, made him entirely at home in delineating the great vine rising
from the loins of the Patriarch. What success he achieved with this
style of window we shall judge for ourselves at Ludlow, Bristol, and
Wells.
A convenient touchstone for deciding whether a window belongs to this or
the next period is provided by an examination of the manner in which the
artist executed his shading. It was smeared upon Decorated glass, and a
close inspection will reveal the streaky lines. During the Perpendicular
epoch the shading was stippled on with the end of a brush.
To recapitulate, the distinctive features of the Decorated epoch may be
enumerated as follows:
1. Windows of several lancets, with tracery lights above them.
2. Decorative treatment of tracery lights.
3. Yellow stain.
4. Coated glass (several layers of different colours).
5. Deep rich colouring.
6. Canopies.
7. Use of leaves, vines, &c., copied closely from nature.
8. Tree of Jesse windows.
9. Shading which was smeared on.