DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42068#0118
MÉLANGES HULIN DE LOG
87
far and wide for confirmation of these statements but with-
out complété success.
It kappens that tliere were two chapels named « of the
Few » at Westminster, one was in the Abbey, the other in
the Palace. We possess complété official accounts of the
Coronation ceremony. If that had included a visit to the
Chapel of the Pew in the Abbey it would certainly hâve
been set down. What then was the Chapel of the Pew
in the Palace? To make a long story short it was the
king’s private chamber in which was an altar. It was
situated higher up and behind the Chapel of St. Stephen.
It was believed to hâve been the oratory of Edward the
Confessor. Dedications of very precious objects in gold
and jewels were made to it by successive sovereigns and
in particular there was a golden image of the Virgin
bequeatlied by Henry III an object of spécial dévotion by
English Kings. To this privy chamber, the Chapel of the
Pew, Richard was taken for a little rest immediately
after the Abbey ceremony, and though the records I hâve
searched make no mention of a dedication then made, noth-
ing is more in harmony with the time and the place than
that Richard shonld then hâve promised to dedicate just
such a memorial picture as this diptych to the altar of the
Virgin in this, his own, royal sanctury.
Let me in conclusion make a general claim for English
art. British art is not an offshoot of Frencli. It is an
entirely indépendant growth, possessing its own insular
merits and its own defects. With certains intervals of
dacadence due to social and political causes it lias had a
continuons life and an idéal of its own, and lias attained
high levels of excellence. This was particularly the case
in the 14th century. At that time our Perpendicular archi-
tecture was a local style. Its much battered remains amply
proclaim its excellence. English sculpture little known
abroad produced unsurpassed masterpieces such as the
Easter Sepulchre in Lincoln Cathédral, whilst the alabaster
87
far and wide for confirmation of these statements but with-
out complété success.
It kappens that tliere were two chapels named « of the
Few » at Westminster, one was in the Abbey, the other in
the Palace. We possess complété official accounts of the
Coronation ceremony. If that had included a visit to the
Chapel of the Pew in the Abbey it would certainly hâve
been set down. What then was the Chapel of the Pew
in the Palace? To make a long story short it was the
king’s private chamber in which was an altar. It was
situated higher up and behind the Chapel of St. Stephen.
It was believed to hâve been the oratory of Edward the
Confessor. Dedications of very precious objects in gold
and jewels were made to it by successive sovereigns and
in particular there was a golden image of the Virgin
bequeatlied by Henry III an object of spécial dévotion by
English Kings. To this privy chamber, the Chapel of the
Pew, Richard was taken for a little rest immediately
after the Abbey ceremony, and though the records I hâve
searched make no mention of a dedication then made, noth-
ing is more in harmony with the time and the place than
that Richard shonld then hâve promised to dedicate just
such a memorial picture as this diptych to the altar of the
Virgin in this, his own, royal sanctury.
Let me in conclusion make a general claim for English
art. British art is not an offshoot of Frencli. It is an
entirely indépendant growth, possessing its own insular
merits and its own defects. With certains intervals of
dacadence due to social and political causes it lias had a
continuons life and an idéal of its own, and lias attained
high levels of excellence. This was particularly the case
in the 14th century. At that time our Perpendicular archi-
tecture was a local style. Its much battered remains amply
proclaim its excellence. English sculpture little known
abroad produced unsurpassed masterpieces such as the
Easter Sepulchre in Lincoln Cathédral, whilst the alabaster