The Sermon on the Mount, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

The Sermon on the Mount

Designer: Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Manufacturer: Morris and Co.

1862

Stained glass

Nave window in All Saints, Selsley, Glos.

Rossetti used the same bold design later, at Christ Church, Albany Street, in London, where his sister Christina worshipped (it is now St George's Cathedral, an Antiochian Orthodox church). Please see below for commentary.

Photographer: Dr. Jim Cheshire, who retains the copyright.

Dr. Cheshire has most generously shared both image and caption material with us. Commentary and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]

A detailed pencil outline of his working cartoon for this composition, on tracing paper, can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum (Catalogue Number: E.2916-1927), with the information that this was for this specific stained glass — at the Church of All Saints, in Selsey, Gloucestershire. William and Jane Morris are said to have posed for, respectively, St Peter and the Virgin Mary. The latter is shown with her hair covered here, as in the apse's Visitation window (her name is inscribed on the halo). It is possible that Jesus himself owed something to George Meredith, who was part of the Pre-Raphaelite inner circle at this time, and whom Rossetti had used as model for Jesus elsewere. There is an air of rapt devotion here. There is also a little touch of informality in the white band round the other Mary's head — though perhaps this could also be seen as prefiguring the crown of thorns. Her hair is red here, in contrast to its blonde colour in the later window.

Related Material

The Sermon on the Mount at the Albany Street Church

All Saints, Selsley, designed by G. F. Bodley (please click on this link, which provides a list of links to other beautiful Morris windows in All Saints)

Bibliography

"Church of All Saints." Historic England. Web. 24 June 2018.

Created 24 June 2018