Left: Whole window. Right: Closer view of the central panel.
Cain and Abel. Stained glass on the south wall of the nave in St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork, Ireland, designed by William Burges. The central part of the light shows Cain with his cudgel, apparently already contemplating the dreadful deed which will make him a marked man: the murder of his brother Abel, whose offering has found favour with God, whilst his own has not (in Genesis 4 in the Old Testament). The two proffered sacrifices can be seen in the background. Abel's was a lamb, seen here burning lustily; Cain's unacceptable one was just a little pile of crops, which only emits smoke. The text at the bottom reads, "Cain rose up against his brother and slew him." It is a condensed, vivid depiction of the first key event in the brothers' story. [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
Photographs, text and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. [You may use the images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL or credit the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Searching for the New Jerusalem: The Iconography of St Fin Barre's Cathedral, with a Foreword by the Very Revd Nigel Dunne, Deane of Corke, and Michael Murphy, President, University College Cork, and "Searching for the New Jerusalem," an essay by Richard Wood. Cork: Lewis Glucksman Gallery and the University of Cork, 2013. See p.11. [Review]
Created December 2023