Joseph - a photo on Flickriver

Joseph

            The east window is a remarkable assemblage created by William Price the Younger in 1754 to display James West's collection of 16th & 17th century Flemish roundels. Price created an ornate and richly hued background (enamel-painted on clear glass, little actual coloured glass was used) to incorporate the roundels in a patterned formation and balance them more tonally than a clear background might have done. 

He is however believed to have augmented many of the roundels using the same enamel colours, effectively 'colouring in' scenes that would have been originally largely monochrome. This has confused the record somewhat as roundels that appear to be mid to late 16th century work have colouring that suggests a date a good century later, but this is most likely to have been a refiring of the older glass in Price's workshop.

The most noticeable intervention however is the central light which now has a figure of Christ surrounded by angels, clearly the work of Powell's from c1900. The bottom panel is still Price's glazing with more roundels, so what was here originally? It seems plausible it may have been another figure painted entirely by Price (like those that remain in the side windows) as the remaining panel with roundels seems to be a self contained design, rather than something that would have continued upwards. The head of the light however is identical to those on either side with one more roundel, so were there once more here? It would be good to know some day what form the original central light took, and what became of it.

St Mary's at Preston on Stour is a gem of a church. The tower and nave are mostly the original late medieval work but with significant remodelling in 1752-64 (by Edward Woodward of Chipping Campden) The chancel was entirely rebuilt at this time, though the effect is surprisingly homogenous.

Inside the chancel are several wall-mounted monuments of 17th & 18th century date, but it is the stained glass which takes centre stage, with a magnificent collection of Continental roundels in the east window, and two superb and extremely unusual side windows by William Price from the 1750s, with standing saints flanked by an eccentric collection of portrait medallions.

There is further notable glass in the west window under the tower, which seems to be indigenous work of 15th & 16th century dates, possibly original to the church, though sadly difficult to see without special access to the bell ringing chamber.

Taken in: UK / England / Stratford-on-Avon District / Preston on Stour (show map)

Taken on: July 27, 2017

Tags:

Preston on Stour

church

stained glass

window

Flemish

roundel « less

Sets appears in: • Post Reformation / Enamelled Stained Glass • Stained Glass Roundels & Medallions more » • Warwickshire churches • Preston on Stour - St Mary « less

Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ60, f/7.1, 1/5 sec, 38.4mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-TZ60
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.2 sec (1/5)
Focal Length:	38.4mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Microsoft Windows Photo Viewer 6.1.7600.16385
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