Left: Whole window. Right: Close-up of St John. [Click on these images, and the one below, to enlarge them.]
The Crucifixion. James Silvester Sparrow (1861-1940). 1910. This dramatic window is in the south wall of the south aisle of Llandaff Cathedral (Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaff). Unfortunately, it is tucked away behind the organ. But it is still a powerful composition. Colin Price notes here "a desperate sense of apocalypse — darkness at noon," and points out that "Mary Magdalene, conventionally depicted with golden hair, joins the usual figures [the Virgin Mary on the left, and St John on the right]." The Virgin Mary looks older than usual, appropriately so, and prays earnestly at the foot of the cross on which her son suffers and dies. At the bottom of the middle light is the iridescent snake of Eden, finally vanquished by the supreme sacrifice. Other parts of the complete window are interesting too: below the dove of the Holy Spirit, there are the partially obscured sun and moon in the quatrefoil tracery lights, while the upper part of the cross has the green patchwork of nature on it, representing the stage from which Jesus's ascent must be made.
Closer view of Mary Magdalene.
The window was given in memory of James Insole who passed away in January 1901 at the age of 79 (see Lambert 180). The Insoles were an influential local family: the Cardiff architect Edwin Seward had enlarged their mansion, Insole Court, for them, and they were important donors to the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where a ward was named after them.
Related Material
Bibliography
"J. Silvester Sparrow (1862-1929)." Gwydr Lliw yng Nghymru (Stained Glass in Wales). Web. 7 August 2018.
James, Nevil. The Stained Glass of Llandaff Cathedral. Llandaff: Llandaff Cathedral Shop Committee, 1997.
Lambert, Nick. Llandaff Cathedral. Brigend: Seren, 2010.
Last modified 30 September 2019