LETTERS ON PAINTED GLASS 439

it as distinct shades, looking as if it had been spotted with rich blood. In this respect it differs from all the windows I ever saw. Points of scarlet are used, nearly that of the scarlet geranium, but more pure. These, in chiaroscuro, are about the pitch of the blue. I fear, however, that any attempt to imitate such colour in modern times would end in coarse glare. The wonder of this window is that all its hues are luminous without being transparent. It deadens the light totally, or rather becomes imbued with light itself, letting none through, and so glowing like a precious stone in darkness.

It would be worth your while to come to Chartres merely for the sake of seeing this single window. I counted this morning the number of painted windows in the cathedral, and measured them as well as I could, by taking a man’s height with the pencil and applying it to them. One is apt to underestimate size in so enormous a building; but as nearly as I can guess their dimensions, the windows are as follows:-

Thirty-seven lancet windows of purple toned glass in the lower chapels round the choir and nave, each about 7 feet in width by 25 in height. The example, fig. 2, is from one of these. They vary in number of figure subjects: that which had fewest had twenty-eight, and that which had most, forty-two. There are, I think, forty-four or forty-six windows, but seven or nine are without coloured glass, having only dead white with a pattern, and coloured border, leaving thirty-seven of perfect colour.

Fifty-four lancet windows in the upper story of the choir, nave, and transepts, each about 5 feet by 20, containing larger figure subjects of intense glow, grotesque in character, with legends underneath, and shields.

Thirty-four large rose windows in the nave and transepts, each 12 feet in diameter.

Six small roses, perfect gems, in the chapel, 4 feet in diameter.

Three large roses (west end and transepts), each not less than 40 feet in diameter, charged with the most intense hues, purple ground with azure medallions.

Ten lancet windows, five under each transept rose, of about 4 feet by 16 long, with large figure subjects.

Seven lancet windows, 6 feet by 40 at the east end of the choir, with purple glass very rich, but of more modern tone than the rest.

And three of the twelfth century at the west end, the centre one of 10 by 30, containing twenty-seven figure subjects; the two others, 7 by 20, containing fourteen.

I wish you could find time to run over and look at this, before finishing Camberwell.

Well, now you will want to know what all this has to do with our window. Not much, certainly, for, as I told you, the subjects in Chartres are too quaint to be used in conspicuous places, chiefly legendary. At the bottom of each window is a representation of the trade of the body by which it was presented. One-the tailors’-gives a capital shop-boy measuring the cloth, and another hanging up a shirt. The legend of St. Hubert is delightfully given in another, hounds in leash, galloping horses, and a stag of the size of a mouse, with a cross as big as a cathedral. Another has the Deluge, in which I expected to get something to suit me, but no.

[Version 0.04: March 2008]