DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1397#0029
PLATE 2.
A EEREDOS,
BY T. EAEP; DESIGNED BY J. BENTLEY, ARCHITECT.
THIS Reredos, about 8 feet 6 inches in length, is composed of Caen stone up to the super-
altar, which is made of Isle of Man black limestone, oil-polished. In the quatrefoil panels
are representations of the Virtues overcoming the Vices; as follows: Temperance conquering
Gluttony ; Faith, Idolatry; Charity, Envy; Peace, Discord; and Bounty, Avarice : the borders are
filled in with red and green marbles and globe-formed pieces of Derbyshire spar. The upper
portion is divided into three compartments, divided by marble columns, with elaborately carved
capitals, supporting the four Archangels, Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel, sculptured in white
alabaster. These are enclosed by larger columns at the two angles, terminated by buttresses,
which die into a very elaborately carved cornice, bordered with conical-formed knobs of Derbyshire
spar. The centre panel of this portion contains a marble cross, inlaid with spar on a groundwork
of marble, with the emblems of the four Evangelists. In the panels each side are incised
subjects on white alabaster of the Annunciation and Resurrection, the groundwork being enriched
with patterns of inlaid marble. The cost of this reredos was about £140.
Mr. Earp also exhibited a Pulpit for Bournemouth Church, designed by G. Street, Esq.; a
grand Fountain in the Nave, designed by J. Bentley, Esq.; a Reredos for the Church of St.
Philip and St. James, Oxford; a Font for Huntley Church, designed by S. S. Teulon, Esq.; and
a Dairy Fountain, designed by J. Nesfield, Esq., for the Earl of Sefton. All these works were
characterized by a free use of carving, inlaid marble, spar-work, and incised designs filled in with
black mastic ; and, although very elaborate and picturesque, were all subject to the charge of a
certain mannered heaviness, and an over-loading of accessories, which detracted from their undoubted
merit. They all equally served to show, the tendency of the fashion of the day towards the Early
Pointed period of Gothic architecture, of which they form a 19th century development, peculiar
in its character to our own counfay.
Reredoses came into fashion at a comparatively late date. They appear to have been
unknown till about the end of the 14th century; and if any such existed, they were very
low, and decorated with small figures on a single plane, representing subjects from Scripture
history and the life of the Saviour. A small carved stone retable of this class is still preserved
in the Cathedral of St. Pol de Leon (Brittany), with the subject of the Virgin supporting Christ
on her knees. Several country churches in England contain retables of this description, in spite
of the "Articles" of Queen Elizabeth and the "Injunctions" of Edward VI., in the 16th cen-
tury. During the 15th century retables of a most elaborate character were raised throughout
Europe: they were generally constructed of wood, carved, coloured, gilt, and otherwise
ornamented ; consisting of subjects from Scripture, the life of Christ, and the histories of
favourite saints, combined with architectural accessories. Reredoses are still extant, more or
less injured however, at "Westminster, Winchester, York, Gloucester, and Bristol Cathedrals;
Redclyff Church, Bristol; St. Alban's Abbey, &c. ; but the finest reredoses are to be found on
the Continent,—in France, Germany, and Spain especially.
M. Goze gives the following description of the retable of the High Altar in Amiens Cathedral,
erected at the close of the loth century :—" Externally it was covered with panels of wood,
carved, and painted with subjects from the Passion, which panels, opening like doors, disclosed
bas-reliefs in silver,* executed from the year 1485 to 1493. Six columns of copper, the plinths
of which were adorned with statues of saints, placed on the two sides of the altar, bore six angels,
draped in copes, and bearing the instruments of the Passion, the whole being closed by veils
running on a rod connecting the columns. A three-branch silver lustre was suspended before
the altar; three large copper chandeliers also hung in the sanctuary. At the extremities of
the retable were placed on the floor two columns of copper, in the shape of trees, covered with
fruit and foliage, from amongst which rose the tapers with which the shrines of the saints were
illuminated, the whole being surmounted by a canopy of silk and gold suspended from the ceiling."
Reredoses carved in wood, and coloured, are now to be found in most of our European
museums, and bear witness to the cleverness and vitality of the art of wood-carving in the 15th
and 16th centuries. After this period they became comparatively plain.
* M., Gilbert states the cost of these silver bas-reliefs to have been over 12,290 livres, or about £6,150.
A EEREDOS,
BY T. EAEP; DESIGNED BY J. BENTLEY, ARCHITECT.
THIS Reredos, about 8 feet 6 inches in length, is composed of Caen stone up to the super-
altar, which is made of Isle of Man black limestone, oil-polished. In the quatrefoil panels
are representations of the Virtues overcoming the Vices; as follows: Temperance conquering
Gluttony ; Faith, Idolatry; Charity, Envy; Peace, Discord; and Bounty, Avarice : the borders are
filled in with red and green marbles and globe-formed pieces of Derbyshire spar. The upper
portion is divided into three compartments, divided by marble columns, with elaborately carved
capitals, supporting the four Archangels, Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel, sculptured in white
alabaster. These are enclosed by larger columns at the two angles, terminated by buttresses,
which die into a very elaborately carved cornice, bordered with conical-formed knobs of Derbyshire
spar. The centre panel of this portion contains a marble cross, inlaid with spar on a groundwork
of marble, with the emblems of the four Evangelists. In the panels each side are incised
subjects on white alabaster of the Annunciation and Resurrection, the groundwork being enriched
with patterns of inlaid marble. The cost of this reredos was about £140.
Mr. Earp also exhibited a Pulpit for Bournemouth Church, designed by G. Street, Esq.; a
grand Fountain in the Nave, designed by J. Bentley, Esq.; a Reredos for the Church of St.
Philip and St. James, Oxford; a Font for Huntley Church, designed by S. S. Teulon, Esq.; and
a Dairy Fountain, designed by J. Nesfield, Esq., for the Earl of Sefton. All these works were
characterized by a free use of carving, inlaid marble, spar-work, and incised designs filled in with
black mastic ; and, although very elaborate and picturesque, were all subject to the charge of a
certain mannered heaviness, and an over-loading of accessories, which detracted from their undoubted
merit. They all equally served to show, the tendency of the fashion of the day towards the Early
Pointed period of Gothic architecture, of which they form a 19th century development, peculiar
in its character to our own counfay.
Reredoses came into fashion at a comparatively late date. They appear to have been
unknown till about the end of the 14th century; and if any such existed, they were very
low, and decorated with small figures on a single plane, representing subjects from Scripture
history and the life of the Saviour. A small carved stone retable of this class is still preserved
in the Cathedral of St. Pol de Leon (Brittany), with the subject of the Virgin supporting Christ
on her knees. Several country churches in England contain retables of this description, in spite
of the "Articles" of Queen Elizabeth and the "Injunctions" of Edward VI., in the 16th cen-
tury. During the 15th century retables of a most elaborate character were raised throughout
Europe: they were generally constructed of wood, carved, coloured, gilt, and otherwise
ornamented ; consisting of subjects from Scripture, the life of Christ, and the histories of
favourite saints, combined with architectural accessories. Reredoses are still extant, more or
less injured however, at "Westminster, Winchester, York, Gloucester, and Bristol Cathedrals;
Redclyff Church, Bristol; St. Alban's Abbey, &c. ; but the finest reredoses are to be found on
the Continent,—in France, Germany, and Spain especially.
M. Goze gives the following description of the retable of the High Altar in Amiens Cathedral,
erected at the close of the loth century :—" Externally it was covered with panels of wood,
carved, and painted with subjects from the Passion, which panels, opening like doors, disclosed
bas-reliefs in silver,* executed from the year 1485 to 1493. Six columns of copper, the plinths
of which were adorned with statues of saints, placed on the two sides of the altar, bore six angels,
draped in copes, and bearing the instruments of the Passion, the whole being closed by veils
running on a rod connecting the columns. A three-branch silver lustre was suspended before
the altar; three large copper chandeliers also hung in the sanctuary. At the extremities of
the retable were placed on the floor two columns of copper, in the shape of trees, covered with
fruit and foliage, from amongst which rose the tapers with which the shrines of the saints were
illuminated, the whole being surmounted by a canopy of silk and gold suspended from the ceiling."
Reredoses carved in wood, and coloured, are now to be found in most of our European
museums, and bear witness to the cleverness and vitality of the art of wood-carving in the 15th
and 16th centuries. After this period they became comparatively plain.
* M., Gilbert states the cost of these silver bas-reliefs to have been over 12,290 livres, or about £6,150.