Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the discovery of some of the finest colours, and the invention or improvement of the implements used in painting. The monks always prepared their own colours, even when they employed secular artists to paint for them; the materials furnished from their own laboratories being of the best and most durable kind.1 "As architects, as glass painters, as mosaic workers, as carvers in wood and metal, they were the precursors of all that has since been achieved in Christian art; and if so few of the admirable and gifted men are known to us individually and by name, it is because they worked for the honour of God and their community, not for profit nor for reputation." The religious orders ought ever to be dear to the lovers of the fine arts, even if they had only produced that gentlest of painters, Fra Angelico da Fiesole, of the order of St. Dominic, whose paintings are so religiously beautiful as almost to defy description, and, if once seen, make such an impression on the mind as scarcely ever to be forgotten. He was as much respected for his humility and piety as for his painting. A simple tomb marks the spot where he sleeps, among the brethren of his order, in the beautiful church of Santa Maria-sopra-Minerva, at Rome.

P.S. In addition to the representations enumerated in the foregoing paper, of the assassination of Thomas à Becket, may be mentioned that found on a portion of a leaden vessel, apparently a chrismatory, discovered at Evesham in Worcestershire, and exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries in November 1851, by T. A.Johnes, esq., figured in the Proceedings of that Society, vol. ii, p. 186. From the costume, this vessel was conjectured to have been fabricated in the reign of Henry III. There is also a manuscript, known as Queen Mary's Psalter, in the royal collection at the British Museum (2 B. vII), of the early part of the fourteenth century, which contains a complete series of outline sketches on the lower margin of the pages, illustrative of the events of the life of Thomas à Becket, the last four of which represent the following scenes:

1. The archbishop seated at table with his attendants; a servant on his knee, announcing the approach of the four knights.

2. The assassination. The archbishop is kneeling before the altar with his hands raised as in an attitude of prayer. One of the knights stabs him on the crown of the head, whilst another slices off a piece of the scull. An attendant monk holds his crozier towards him.

3. The archbishop laid in the tomb. A bishop stands at the feet of the corpse censing the body, whilst another at his head holds the pastoral staff in his left hand, his right being raised. He is reading the service of the dead from a missal which is held by an attendant.

4. The archbishop kneeling, holding his mitre in his hand, and attended by two angels, is received by the Saviour seated, holding the orb in his left hand.

These drawings are highly spirited, but the figures are rather too long. The art is decidedly French.

1 Sir C. Eastlake's "History of Painting."

2 Mrs. Jameson's "Legends of Monastic Orders."

88

Proceedings of the Association.

JANUARY 11, 1854.

The following presents were laid upon the table, and thanks voted to the donors:

From the Chronological Institute. Their Transactions. Part I. 8vo. Lond. 1852.

From J. Clarke, Esq. Stranger's Guide to the Town of Framlingham, its Church and Castle, by N. Green. 12mo.

Mr. Ellis exhibited a Dutch medal, bearing the date of 1626, representing a fleet of ships, and having around an inscription reading Confortamini Deo confidentes; and on the reverse, Imminent undique usque quo hostes. Mr. Ellis also exhibited a silver Madonna medal of fine execution.

Two interesting knives were exhibited by Mr. H. Syer Cuming and Mr. Ellis. Upon one of these Mr. Cuming remarked :

[ocr errors]

'Among the ancient relics exhibited at the last meeting by the rev. T. Hugo, was one which appeared to be part of the handle of a small knife. The leading features in this specimen were the peculiar form of the brass pommel, possibly representing the truncated stem of a tree, and the woodwork of the grip being decorated with little trefoils, in what would now be termed piquet work of brass. As there seemed to be some doubt regarding the exact age of this fragment, I am induced to bring before the notice of the Association a specimen which I hope will throw a ray of light upon the subject, and tend to show that Mr. Hugo's specimen is really a production of the middle of the sixteenth century. The knife (see plate 14, fig. 1) which I now exhibit was discovered in Farringdon-street, in May 1845, when a new road was being constructed to Islington. The iron blade is of the narrow pointed form common throughout the sixteenth century; and bears, near the haft, the impress of a pastoral staff; intended either as a religious device, or else the maker's stamp. The wooden handle is riveted on to the iron tang, and is decorated with little disks and trefoils arranged alternately down both sides; the trefoils being precisely similar to those seen on Mr. Hugo's fragment. But the most important part of this specimen is its diskformed pommel of brass; on each face of which is engraved the numerals

[merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small]
« AnteriorContinuar »