Brief description: Design for a 5 light stained glass window depicting Christ in majesty
Proposed stained glass design for the east window depicting Christ in majesty alongside saints and angels. In this busy composition, Christ sits enthroned in the centre, surrounded by ranks of adoring angels kneeling, holding scrolls with biblical and hymnal quotes, and playing musical instruments. Directly below Jesus, the Archangel Michael, wings outstretched, slays a dragon. Iconographically similar to depictions of St. George, St. Michael's battle with the dragon represents the eternal struggle of good and evil. Webb has deliberately leant into that iconographic confusion by giving St. Michael a shield of St. George, collapsing both stories into one narrative. This gives the story a patriotic slant, inserting England specifically into an eternal narrative. Patriotic fervour was particularly high after the end of the Second World War, when this window was designed. The symbols of the Tetramorph, winged animals representing the four gospel-writers, appear in the corners. This design was created by Christopher Webb (1886–1966), an English stained glass designer based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. He studied at the Slade School of Art and was then articled to Sir Ninian Comper. During his active career from 1920 to 1964 he produced over 400 windows with a distinctive character and style.
Object type: preparatory artwork design
Number of objects: 1
Production date: 9.1946
Production period: 20th century
Designer: Christopher Webb (1886 - 1966)
Dimensions: Height: 320 mm, Width: 398 mm
Inscription: tracery I AM HE THAT LIVETH AND WAS DEAD top BLESSING AND HONOUR AND POWER BE ONTO HE THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE AND UNTO THE LAMB FOR EVER AND EVER. bottom THOU ART WORTHY O LORD TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOUR AND POWER FOR THOU HAST CREATED ALL THINGS AND FOR ALL THY PLEASURE THEY ARE AND WERE CREATED.
Original location: St Michael's Church, Basingstoke, Hampshire
Acquisition: gift 13.3.2024
Acquisition source: Edwards, J
This item is not currently on display and can only be viewed by prior arrangement
Accession number: ELYGM:2024.14.8
