Brief description: Design for a 3 light stained glass window depicting the Virgin Mary and child, St Michael and St Martin
Proposed design for the windows on the south side of the chancel depicting St Michael in the left hand light, Mary and Christ in the centre light and St Martin in the right hand light. The window is set against a quarry background. St. Michael is depicted in golden armour, planting his spear into the head of a snarling dragon. This scene, based on the Book of Revelation (Revelation 12:7) is iconographically similar to St. George, but we can tell this is St. Michael because of his wings. Webb has leant into that similarity by including a St. George cross on St. Michael's shield, lending the figure a patriotic air. In the centre, Mary holds the infant Christ, with a scene of the Annunciation below. On the right, St. Martin looks alarmingly like he is about to kill a beggar. What he is actually doing is cutting his cloak in half to share with him, an act of mercy for which he is famous. St. Martin was a Roman soldier and is dressed accordingly. On the reverse is an approved design stamp from the Salisbury Diocesan Advisory Committee dated 5 August 1932. 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: 4.1947
Production period: 20th century
Designer: Christopher Webb (1886 - 1966)
Dimensions: Height: 228 mm, Width: 299 mm
Original location: Mere Church, Mere, Wiltshire
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:2024.14.84
