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Fragment of the 'Charity' window made for Sir John Soane's Tivoli Recess but destroyed during World War II
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SM SG74 incorporated into new Tivoli Reces window. ©A.C Cooper (colour) Ltd
Fragment of the 'Charity' window made for Sir John Soane's Tivoli Recess but destroyed during World War II
Stained glass
Museum number: SG74.B
Not on display
Curatorial note
This fragment, along with SG74.A, is one of only two sections of the 'Charity' window that survived the blast that destroyed the window in World War II. Both surviving sections are from the lower panel, of which this was the central ornament, depicting a foliate scroll set against a rich Imperial porphyry background. This lower panel was designed for Soane - the original New College window (which the glass painter William Collins copied for Soane) had a gothic arcade below the figures. This design was presumably developed as a classical alternative to this on Soane's instructions.
This central panel was restored by Keith Barley at his Barley Studios workshop in York and reinserted into the reconstruction of the 'Charity' window installed in the restored Tivoli Recess in 2012-13. The rest of the window was re-painted by the stained glass painter Jonathan Cooke, one of the world's leading experts in the technology of Georgian glass painting. The insertion into the recreated window of this fragment of the original window enables a direct comparison of the vibrancy of the orignal colours with those of the recreated window: there is an inevitable difference as a consequence of the banning of certain chemicals that would have been used in the Georgian period.
This central panel was restored by Keith Barley at his Barley Studios workshop in York and reinserted into the reconstruction of the 'Charity' window installed in the restored Tivoli Recess in 2012-13. The rest of the window was re-painted by the stained glass painter Jonathan Cooke, one of the world's leading experts in the technology of Georgian glass painting. The insertion into the recreated window of this fragment of the original window enables a direct comparison of the vibrancy of the orignal colours with those of the recreated window: there is an inevitable difference as a consequence of the banning of certain chemicals that would have been used in the Georgian period.
Associated items
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk