instance, an early glass painting, judging only from its general effect, is of the Early English, or early part of the Decorated period; whether another is late Decorated, or early Perpendicular; or whether to a third should be assigned a less general date than the space of time between the beginning of the fifteenth century, and the end of the reign of Henry the Sixth, &c.
"The execution of a glass painting according to any particular mode, the first invention of which is capable of being ascertained, raises a conclusive inference that the work cannot be earlier than a certain time; but seldom affords any other criterion of its date. So the representation in a glass painting of different ornaments, costumes, armour, and architectural details; the symbols of the alliance of families, or of individuals holding particular offices, serve in like manner to limit the antiquity of the work; without, however, at least in the generality of cases, setting any precise bounds to its lateness. Thus for instance, the existence of the yellow stain in a glass painting, is a proof that it is not earlier than the fourteenth century. In like manner, a glass painting which exhibits stippled shading, or ruby glass having some of its coloured surface purposely abraded, may be pronounced not to be earlier than the fifteenth. Again, the use of enamel colours marks a glass painting as having been executed after the middle of the sixteenth century, while the trifling circumstance that the glass has been originally cut with a diamond, will denote that another work is not earlier than the seventeenth century. The representation
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in a glass painting of Decorated windows with flowing tracery, is an evidence that the picture was not painted until after the introduction of this feature in architecture. And the appearance of a shield bearing the private arms of a bishop impaled with those of his see, will in general raise a presumption that the work was executed during his prelacy."
From the very valuable information contained in the notes to the Introduction we give the following extracts.
"The accompanying diagram represents full-sized sections of pieces of ancient ruby selected quite at random, and arranged in centuries, but not according to their order of time in each century. The dark lines at the upper part of each sheet are intended to shew the depth of its colouring matter. The various sheets will be found to agree in thickness with the ordinary white and coloured glass of the corresponding periods." Part i. p. 22.
