TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

Brief description: Stained glass panel depicting two figures Tristan and Isolde on board a ship. Designed and made by James Silvester Sparrow in about 1900.

Tristan greeting Isolde on board a ship. The sunset representation to top left of panel. Both are wearing the Victorian idea of Celtic costume. Symbols of wealth and status (gold treasure chest, gold tassels to cord of her robe, hunting horn) abound. This panel, full of movement and dramatic gesture, depicts an episode from the legend of Tristan and Isolde. Set in the time of King Arthur, this medieval romance involves a tragic love triangle between the hero, his uncle King Mark of Cornwall and Isolde, his uncle's wife. In this scene, the pair is seized by an ecstasy of love after mistakenly drinking a love potion from the horn cup at Tristran's feet. Sparrow, who referred to himself as the 'Wagner of stained glass,' achieved dramatic effects by plating glass, or layering pieces of different colours and textures in the same, very wide leads.

Object type: stained glass panel

Number of objects: 1

Production date: circa 1900

Production period: 20th century, early

Designer: John Sylvester Sparrow (1862 - 1929)

Manufacturer: Sparrow, John Sylvester 1862=1929

Dimensions: Height: 1090 mm, Width: 1000 mm

Inscription: script calligraphers know as gothic underneath figures tristan isolde

Acquisition: loan 16.11.2001

Acquisition source: Phillips, L.

Accession number: ELYGM:L2001.5