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Death Reawakened THE WALL PAINTINGS OF THE GUILD CHAPEL, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON THE CHAPEL The Guild Chapel of the Holy Cross stands at the corner of Church Street and Chapel Lane in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. While the the chapel is thought to date to the foundation of the guild itself in the late 13th century, the current building retains substantial evidence of its 15th century appearance. The chancel was remodelled in c. 1450, while the nave, north porch and west tower were entirely rebuilt by the mason, Thomas Dowland, in the 1490s. This work was largely financed by the wealthy Stratford merchant, Hugh Clopton (1440 -1496), a former mayor of London, who also left funds in his will for the refurbished building to be decorated with wall paintings. Above: View of the north front of the chapel showing the grand Perpendicular windows of the nave. Centre: An interior view looking along the nave towards the remains of the The Doom over the chancel arch. Right: A reconstructed view of the paintings on the north wall of the chancel using a 19th century coloured lithograph (by Thomas Fisher) mapped onto a digital model of the wall created by Kate Giles, Anthony Masinton and Geoff Arnott, Department of Archaeology, York University (2012). Over the centuries the wall paintings have suffered considerable damage and loss. However, enough survives to make clear their artistic quality and historical significance. The chapel remains one of the finest examples in Europe of a purpose-built medieval guild chapel, as well as a fascinating example of mercantile arts patronage in late medieval England. CONTEXT A little over 60 years after their completion, records state that the paintings were ‘defaced and limewashed’ in 1563 under the supervision of John Shakespeare, the father of the playwright, who was at the time, chamberlain of the Corporation of Stratford. While some were simply covered over, others were actively scraped away, probably including much of The Dance of Death (also known as the Danse Macabre), The Life of Adam and The Holy Cross cycle. Debate remains as to whether this decision should be viewed as an iconoclastic response to shifts in the religious climate, or rather a symptom of the chapel’s near-redundancy following the Dissolution of Chantries and Colleges a decade before. It is telling that, soon after this, the chancel was partitioned to make multiple living quarters which were rented out by the Guild Corporation. In a time of limited religious usage, limewashing may therefore have been a practical way to limit upkeep costs. What is clear is that over the coming century, as the Protestantising influence grew and aesthetic tastes shifted, multiple limewashes were applied to the walls. Two later paint schemes of architectural decoration followed in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as various architectural alterations which ensured that the surviving late medieval paintings remained hidden into the 1800s. TobitCurteisAssociates 33 Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1 7UR T: +44 (0)1223 501958 F: +44 (0)1223 304190 E: [email protected] W: www.tcassociates.co.uk THE WALL PAINTINGS OF THE GUILD CHAPEL, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON ICONOGRAPHY It is easy to forget when looking at the largely plainly finished surfaces of the chapel today that, for those entering the building in the early 16th century, the walls would have been a riot of colours with wall paintings covering most of the nave and chancel. Continuing this theme on the lower north wall was a fascinating portrayal of The Dance of Death. Arranged in two horizontal tiers (approx. 10m long by 2m high), individuals from every social rank, including kings, clergy, merchants, and even children were shown being led away by grinning personifications of Death. The subject of mortality and the transitory nature of earthly glories was further developed in the rare allegorical scene on the lower south side of the west wall, which presented the poem ‘Erth Upon Erth’ demonstrating the popularity of such memento mori in an age of plague and conflict. Below seven stanzas of verse a feathered angel stands over the grave of a corpse wrapped in a shroud and surrounded by skulls, bones and worms. The scene was framed by grand contemporary buildings (possibly representing earthly pride) while, on either side, stood two figures with another verse reminding readers of the suffering for sins which follow death. The paintings presented biblical, historical and allegorical scenes which were intended to convey a serious and sobering message to parishioners, stressing the inevitability of death and judgement and the importance of preparation for a good death. On entering the chapel, parishioners were first confronted with an ornate and monumental Doom (or Last Judgement) over the chancel arch. At the top of the scene Christ was presented in Glory, seated on a rainbow and flanked by the Virgin, St John and angels carrying instruments of the Passion. With his right hand, Christ encouraged the Saved up to Heaven, while to his left, the Damned entering Hell were graphically portrayed. Figures of saints were painted in the niches between the windows of the nave, surrounded by architectural tracery and corbels which were also richly polychromed. Only some of these figures have been tentatively identified, including Saint Ursula and the Anglo Saxon abbess, Saint Modwenna, shown with a cat and mouse at her feet (west niche south wall). The Virgin and the Crucifixion were also painted in niches towards the west end. On the upper part of the west wall (south side) there was a graphic portrayal of the murder of Thomas Becket, with blood spouting from the martyr’s neck and, to the north, St George slaying a winged dragon. Immediately below this, the subject matter is contested, but some scholars believe that the female figure sat atop a manyheaded beast represented The Whore of Babylon, often used as a personification of Evil. Records of the nave south wall painting are less clear, but are thought to have included scenes from The Life of Adam, and a boar hunting scene. On the north and south walls of the chancel ten scenes from The Legend of the Holy Cross were presented, although it is thought that little of these survive below the modern render. 19th and 20th century artist impressions of the surviving wall paintings including The Doom (bottom left), the allegorical scene Erth Upon Erth (above) and the Murder of Thomas Becket (right). TobitCurteisAssociates 33 Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1 7UR T: +44 (0)1223 501958 F: +44 (0)1223 304190 E: [email protected] W: www.tcassociates.co.uk Stratford Town Trust 14 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6LU Tel: 01789 207111 Email: [email protected] www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk stratforduponavontowntrust @ourtowntrust Stratford upon Avon Town Trust is a registered charity (number 1088521) Death Reawakened THE WALL PAINTINGS OF THE GUILD CHAPEL, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON GUILDS & WORKSHOP PRACTICE MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE Throughout the medieval period the work of church painting was closely controlled by two guilds, the Painters and the Stainers. In 1502 the guilds amalgamated to form the worshipful company of Painter-Stainers, which exists to this day. Large numbers of people were involved in this trade as all buildings, including churches, cathedrals, palaces, castles and domestic houses, would have been painted. There would therefore have been a major industry in the manufacture of pigment and painting materials, as well as the execution of the paintings themselves. Understanding of technique relies on recent investigations into the Erth Upon Erth scene at the west end of the chapel, and it can be assumed that those throughout the nave were executed in a similar way. Although no medium analysis has been undertaken, it seems likely that the limestone walls were first prepared with a sealant, possibly an oil, before application of the first preparatory layer. This consisted of a thick layer of white lead with particles of carbon black, above which, in many areas, there was a ground of pure white lead. No underdrawings have been observed but, in raking light, fine incised lines were revealed for the setting out of scrolls of text. Judging on stylistic and archaeological grounds it seems likely that the Stratford-upon-Avon Guild Chapel wall paintings date to a single period in the late 15th or early 16th century. The names of the artists who executed the works remain a mystery. Indeed, it is extremely rare to find documentary references to individual painters or their guilds outside of London during the late medieval period. Although one community of 15th century painters in nearby Coventry has been recorded, there is no documentary evidence of their involvement here. The quality of artistry is revealed in surviving details such as the face of a female saint, possibly St Modwenna (south nave, west end), and the allegorical figure (above). Paint would then have been applied in a series of layers and details, such as the shading of cheeks and the delicate colouring of eyes, demonstrating the high degree of skill with which this was carried out. Pigments included red lead and vermilion for lips and feathers. Analysis of a blue used for eyes was confirmed as indigo in white lead. Outlines were painted in carbon black, and the green windows of buildings were painted with a synthetic copper green. While not quite of the quality of art associated with the Royal Court, the paintings of the Guild Chapel are sophisticated, both in materials and artistic detail, suggesting that an experienced and skilled workshop was employed. Moreover, given their patron’s strong links to London, the artists no doubt drew on specific metropolitan sources for a number of scenes, notably The Dance of Death in the cloister of Old St Paul’s Cathedral. This itself would have been influenced by examples of the subject in the cathedrals of continental Europe. The range of pigments and style of painting indicates the use of an organic binding medium, such as oil, and it does not appear that any of the paintings were originally varnished or coated with other organic materials. Interestingly, in contrast to the nave, the lost paintings in the chancel were believed to have been painted on plaster, however, there is little evidence to suggest that painting methods or materials would have differed greatly from those outlined above. Above: detail of bright red lettering from a stanza of the poem in the allegorical scene and cross section of a sample taken from the lettering. A rich layer of lead red and vermilion were applied over lead white and carbon black. TobitCurteisAssociates 33 Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1 7UR T: +44 (0)1223 501958 F: +44 (0)1223 304190 E: [email protected] W: www.tcassociates.co.uk THE WALL PAINTINGS OF THE GUILD CHAPEL, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON ARCHITECTURAL CHANGES Many of the late medieval wall paintings re-emerged in 1804 when decayed roof timbers prompted a major phase of renovation. A new lower pitched roof was installed with a coved plaster ceiling and layers of limewash and plaster were stripped from many walls. This revealed The Holy Cross cycle in the chancel, The Doom and a series of saints in the niches, as well as various scenes on the west wall. Due to the retention of pews in the body of the nave, the north and south walls remained undisturbed. Further Victorian renovations followed, including the installation of a new organ and a large wooden gallery which projected out from the west wall (c.1835). These caused extensive damage to the scenes of the murder of Thomas Becket and St George and the Dragon. The only area of surviving painting (at ground level) deemed important enough to warrant the use of opening panels, in order to allow inspection, was the very fine allegorical scene on the south side of the west wall, which managed to escape so much of the damage seen elsewhere. In 1955, the 19th century woodwork was removed revealing the remains of the paintings on the north and south walls for the first time in several centuries. However, due to their very poor legibility and fragmentary nature, these were once again hidden behind wood panelling. The current appearance of the building owes much to this major renovation by Stephen Dykes-Bower (1955-62), which also resulted in the re-facing of stonework and rebuilding of the north porch. The chancel appears to have been replastered at some point during the 20th century, but it is believed that little, if any, of the medieval paintings survive beneath this. Despite some recognition of their significance, the chancel paintings were largely destroyed during this work, perhaps because they were already severely damaged, and the plaster substrate on which they were painted was easy to remove. Those exposed in the nave were simply re-limewashed, probably as early as 1807. In the case of The Doom, the new ceiling effectively bisected the covered painting, cutting off the nimbused head of Christ and a series of angels, while the lower portion was further damaged by the erection of prayer boards over the whitewashed arch. Above: detail of an angel from The Doom above the position of the nave ceiling, Above top: Photo of the west end gallery as seen in 1955 prior to renovations. which is now within the roof space. Above right: Photo taken during the 1955/56 works which exposed the remnants of The Dance of Death painting on the north wall. [Puddephat] Above: detail of the allegorical scene on the west wall (south side), which is partially hidden behind an opening wooden screen. TobitCurteisAssociates 33 Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1 7UR T: +44 (0)1223 501958 F: +44 (0)1223 304190 E: [email protected] W: www.tcassociates.co.uk Stratford Town Trust 14 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6LU Tel: 01789 207111 Email: [email protected] www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk stratforduponavontowntrust @ourtowntrust Stratford upon Avon Town Trust is a registered charity (number 1088521) Death Reawakened THE WALL PAINTINGS OF THE GUILD CHAPEL, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON ANTIQUARIAN INTEREST Given their unusual subject matter, the paintings and their iconography have been the subject of numerous studies since the early 19th century and many interested parties came to see the newly revealed paintings in 1804. Among them was Captain James Saunders (d. 1830) who created a series of miniature watercolour sketches of The Legend of the Holy Cross, as well as the antiquarian, Robert Bell Wheler (1785-1857), who offered a descriptive account of their subsequent destruction and set out the iconography of the surviving paintings in the nave (published 1806). The Doom remained covered in whitewash until the early 20th century, when its rediscovery provided E.W. Tristram (1882 1952) with an opportunity to record and conserve it. Tristram, the Professor of Art and Design at the Royal College of Art, created two scaled watercolours of The Doom and hypothesised the use of oil as the medium for the paintings in the nave and chancel arch. He also treated the painting (below the ceiling level) with a wax-based preservative treatment, which was typical of the period. Well aware of these earlier discoveries, Wilfrid Puddephat (19151974), who was the Art Master at King Edward VI Grammar School, sought to examine the paintings on the north and south walls of the nave before their concealment during the 1950s refurbishment. He embarked on an ambitious programme of recording which was published and presented in a series of notes, lectures and drawings, now housed in the Shakespeare Centre Library and Archives. Puddephat took detailed measurements and photographs, as well as scale drawings. His greatest achievement was to disentangle The Dance of Death scheme from two later schemes of painted architectural decoration, drawing on other medieval depictions of the scene to recreate the lost areas. Perhaps most important was the work of antiquarian, Thomas Fisher (1772-1836), who is often credited with the uncovering work, and who created a detailed series of 16 hand coloured lithographs. These included a plan of the chapel and scaled elevation drawings, which aimed at a faithful replication of the paintings in their present state of preservation, although regrettably with no accompanying descriptions. Frustrated by contemporary copyright obstacles, Fisher’s lithographs were only published, after his death, by his friend, the editor of The Gentleman’s Magazine, John Gough Nichols, in 1838. Above: Fisher’s drawing of scences on the north wall of the chancel from The Holy Cross cycle, which are thought to have been largely destroyed. Above: E.W. Tristram’s watercolour sketches of The Doom. Right: Wilfrid Puddephat measuring fragments of surviving wall painting on the north wall. Puddephat’s reconstructed view of The Dance of Death, was based upon his meticulous surveying of the surviving wall painting and drew on other surviving sources of similar depictions. TobitCurteisAssociates 33 Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1 7UR T: +44 (0)1223 501958 F: +44 (0)1223 304190 E: [email protected] W: www.tcassociates.co.uk THE WALL PAINTINGS OF THE GUILD CHAPEL, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON CONSERVATION PROJECT AIMS CURRENT CONDITION AND CONSERVATION Despite previous scholarship having acknowledged the international significance of the Guild Chapel wall paintings, their partial destruction in the 19th century, and the concealment of some areas by architectural alterations in the later 20th century, frustrated efforts to bring them to public attention. Following its uncovering from beneath the later paint layers the painting of The Doom was treated in the 1920’s by E.W. Tristram with a waxy material, and has consequently darkened due to the discoloration of the coating. Water penetration through the walls and the unstable environment in the chapel has also caused flaking of the paint and ground layers, as well as salt efflorescence disrupting and disfiguring areas of the surface. Since 1994, detailed studies of both the condition of the surviving wall paintings and the environmental conditions in the building have been undertaken, in order to determine how best to conserve the paintings. In recent years, repairs have been made to the building so that it is watertight and the main underlying causes of deterioration are under control. The aim of the proposed treatment, which, it is hoped, will be undertaken in 2017, will be to stabilise insecure areas of the paintings to prevent further loss, and to remove or reduce surface coatings to improve their legibility and appearance. In the case of the Erth Upon Erth scene this will involve the uncovering of the hidden areas at the bottom of the painting and the removal of the 20th century panelling to reveal the full surviving painting. A project is now underway, both to conserve and treat the paintings and to increase public awareness and engagement, so that they can be better appreciated and understood within the historical context of medieval Stratford-upon-Avon. William Shakespeare’s Stratford home, ‘New Place’ (in which he died in April 1616) is situated opposite the Guild Chapel and, while the defacement of the paintings took place a year before his birth (1564), like all educated people of the time, he would have been familiar with the subject matter, not only the Christian iconography, but also with the portrayals of death. Above: Condition mapping of the allegorical scene highlighting areas of microbiological activity and overpaint. Centre: Details of the current appearance of The Doom (above) and Erth Upon Erth (below). Right: a montage of images to demonstrate the full extent of the surviving painting, much of which is currently hidden behind wooden panelling Conditions on the Erth Upon Erth scene differ from The Doom. Perhaps 20% of the painting remains hidden below numerous layers of limewash and overpaint and some important details, including the body of the main demon and architectural elements, are covered by the framework of the panelling. The chapel welcomes thousands of visitors each year, and is maintained by the Stratford Town Trust with the support of The Friends of the Guild Chapel. The work to conserve both the chapel itself and the wall paintings is funded entirely from charitable sources and your help in supporting this would be greatly appreciated. Donations to support the work can be made to the Stratford Town Trust (14 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6LU) or left in the box by the north door. The fragments of red overpaint are typical of 19th century schemes and are currently flaking badly and, where well adhered to the Further information on the chapel and the wall paintings can be found original paint layers below, may cause loss of this as well. There at http://www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk/guild-chapel/ has also been microbiological activity in the past in the upper right hand side of the painting, potentially relating to unstable and high TobitCurteisAssociates relative humidity levels, although the underlying causes now appear 33 Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1 7UR T: +44 (0)1223 501958 F: +44 (0)1223 304190 to have been controlled. E: [email protected] W: www.tcassociates.co.uk Stratford Town Trust 14 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6LU Tel: 01789 207111 Email: [email protected] www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk stratforduponavontowntrust @ourtowntrust Stratford upon Avon Town Trust is a registered charity (number 1088521)