Glass panels from Saint-Denis

walwyn Sun, 05/30/2010 - 20:54
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twycross 009

 

This panel depicting the "Presentation in the Temple" was originally in Saint-Denis near Paris. The panel was presented to George IV who then gave it to Earl Howe. It was placed in St James church Twycross when the church was restored in the 1840s. Thomas Willement was the glazier responsible for its positioning.

 

Maurus saving Placid

 

The panel above is a scene of St Benedict of Nursia having a vision of Maurus saving Placid from drowning. Maurus and Placid where both early disciples of St. Benedict. Both were sons of Roman nobles, Maurus became St. Benedict's assistant at the age of 12, and succeed St. Benedict as the abbot of Subiaco Abbey in 525.

 

At the top of the panel is a depiction of the devil throwing a stone. This also comes from the life of St. Benedict who, living as a hermit in a cave at Subiaco, was fed by Romanus who lower bread down a hole and rang a bell to alert St. Benedict, the devil is supposed to have thrown stones to break the bell. The figure of St Benedict in the cave, from the panel, is in the chapel of Raby Castle in County Durham. However the figure of Romanus lowering the bread is also in this window.

 

medieval stained glass romanus Benedict