DOI article:
Raguin, Virginia Chieffo: Old imagery for a new century
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51154#0024
23
appears to have selected the image to commemorate his
wife’s death at age twenty-eight. The central image refers
to the painting by Titian, 1535-1538 now in the Galleria
dell’Accademia, Venice. The Tatin text of the inscription
cites this source and alludes, as well, to the concept of
light: ‘Shines in glass the distinct and well-known face of
the Blessed Virgin as first painted by Titian, and most re-
sembling the beloved wife in whose memory this record
shines’.32 The Renaissance painting is a huge canvas show-
ing a long stairway, framed at the bottom by a crowd of
onlookers and at the top by the High Priest and two as-
sistants. The painting was highly regarded and numerous
reproductions in print form circulated from the seven-
teenth century onwards. Only the segment showing the
isolated figure of the Virgin on the stairs is transferred to
the window composition. The figure is framed within the
compositional design as if it were a relic from the past.
At the bottom of the frame, set on another spatial plane
and seeming to reflect on the image above, a seated fig-
ure plays a lute.33 Both patron and artist were united by
a common culture, aware of Italian Renaissance models,
exemplified by McKim’s work on Boston’s library and for
the Walker Art Building at Bowdoin College, Brunswick,
Maine, for which McKim commissioned Ta Farge to ex-
ecute a lunette on the theme of Athens.34
More subtle references abound, for example the me-
morial to Oakes Ames, Wisdom Enthroned [Fig. 15] of
32 NITET VITRO VIRGINIS BEATAE FACES A TITIANO PRIVS
DEPICTA CONIVCI DILECTA SIMILLIMA CVIVS HAEC RE-
CORDATIO LVCET.
33 The cartoon for the Suonatore (Luteplayer) is now in the collec-
tion of the Worcester Art Museum, 1907.4. See Half a Century
of American Art, exh. cat. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago,
1940, p. 29, pl. VIII. The painting had been exhibited in 1890 with
the title ‘Child Playing upon a Guitar, Italian Motive’.
34 H.B. Weinberg, in John La Farge (as in note 25), p. 187, fig. 140.
1901. Evoking a Renaissance sacra conversazione’, among
a standing group of saints and the divine presence, the
composition evokes paintings such as Veneziano’s fif-
teenth-century St. Lucy Altarpiece that La Farge must have
known from his visits to the Uffizi in 1894. A watercolor
sketch for the window does not include inscription bands,
although the composition strongly suggests that the text ul-
timately incorporated around the side of the window was
intended from the beginning.35 ‘Wisdom is more precious
than rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to
be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand
and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of
pleasantness and all her paths are peace’ (Proverbs 3:15-17).
La Farge mentioned in a letter that he patterned the
older figure after Donatello’s St. Mark from Orsanmi-
chele, Florence.36 The young warrior crowned with lau-
rel also evokes Renaissance prototypes, as exemplified by
images of St. Michael in popular Luca della Robbia ce-
ramic plaques. La Farge also juxtaposed the traditional
symbols of contemplative life, the bearded philosopher,
and active life, the youthful soldier. La Farge, and even
his lesser-endowed colleagues, were not replicating to cut
corners. They were engaged in a continuation of themes
for a new patronage aware of historic cultures. Whether
closely-modeled copy or evocative reference, these win-
dows were part of the deeply eclectic culture of the nine-
teenth century.
35 Los Angeles County Museum of Art 33.11.5, Gift of Miss Bella Ma-
bury. The sketch measures 1713/16 by 1113/16 inches and was once
in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William Preston Harrison.
36 H.B. Weinberg, The Decorative Works of John La Farge, New
York, 1977, p. 406. La Farge worked from a photographic repro-
duction and was articulate about his wanting his audience to rec-
ognize the source.
appears to have selected the image to commemorate his
wife’s death at age twenty-eight. The central image refers
to the painting by Titian, 1535-1538 now in the Galleria
dell’Accademia, Venice. The Tatin text of the inscription
cites this source and alludes, as well, to the concept of
light: ‘Shines in glass the distinct and well-known face of
the Blessed Virgin as first painted by Titian, and most re-
sembling the beloved wife in whose memory this record
shines’.32 The Renaissance painting is a huge canvas show-
ing a long stairway, framed at the bottom by a crowd of
onlookers and at the top by the High Priest and two as-
sistants. The painting was highly regarded and numerous
reproductions in print form circulated from the seven-
teenth century onwards. Only the segment showing the
isolated figure of the Virgin on the stairs is transferred to
the window composition. The figure is framed within the
compositional design as if it were a relic from the past.
At the bottom of the frame, set on another spatial plane
and seeming to reflect on the image above, a seated fig-
ure plays a lute.33 Both patron and artist were united by
a common culture, aware of Italian Renaissance models,
exemplified by McKim’s work on Boston’s library and for
the Walker Art Building at Bowdoin College, Brunswick,
Maine, for which McKim commissioned Ta Farge to ex-
ecute a lunette on the theme of Athens.34
More subtle references abound, for example the me-
morial to Oakes Ames, Wisdom Enthroned [Fig. 15] of
32 NITET VITRO VIRGINIS BEATAE FACES A TITIANO PRIVS
DEPICTA CONIVCI DILECTA SIMILLIMA CVIVS HAEC RE-
CORDATIO LVCET.
33 The cartoon for the Suonatore (Luteplayer) is now in the collec-
tion of the Worcester Art Museum, 1907.4. See Half a Century
of American Art, exh. cat. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago,
1940, p. 29, pl. VIII. The painting had been exhibited in 1890 with
the title ‘Child Playing upon a Guitar, Italian Motive’.
34 H.B. Weinberg, in John La Farge (as in note 25), p. 187, fig. 140.
1901. Evoking a Renaissance sacra conversazione’, among
a standing group of saints and the divine presence, the
composition evokes paintings such as Veneziano’s fif-
teenth-century St. Lucy Altarpiece that La Farge must have
known from his visits to the Uffizi in 1894. A watercolor
sketch for the window does not include inscription bands,
although the composition strongly suggests that the text ul-
timately incorporated around the side of the window was
intended from the beginning.35 ‘Wisdom is more precious
than rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to
be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand
and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of
pleasantness and all her paths are peace’ (Proverbs 3:15-17).
La Farge mentioned in a letter that he patterned the
older figure after Donatello’s St. Mark from Orsanmi-
chele, Florence.36 The young warrior crowned with lau-
rel also evokes Renaissance prototypes, as exemplified by
images of St. Michael in popular Luca della Robbia ce-
ramic plaques. La Farge also juxtaposed the traditional
symbols of contemplative life, the bearded philosopher,
and active life, the youthful soldier. La Farge, and even
his lesser-endowed colleagues, were not replicating to cut
corners. They were engaged in a continuation of themes
for a new patronage aware of historic cultures. Whether
closely-modeled copy or evocative reference, these win-
dows were part of the deeply eclectic culture of the nine-
teenth century.
35 Los Angeles County Museum of Art 33.11.5, Gift of Miss Bella Ma-
bury. The sketch measures 1713/16 by 1113/16 inches and was once
in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William Preston Harrison.
36 H.B. Weinberg, The Decorative Works of John La Farge, New
York, 1977, p. 406. La Farge worked from a photographic repro-
duction and was articulate about his wanting his audience to rec-
ognize the source.