Virgin and Child with St Luke and St Elizabeth of Hungary

Photo © Martin Crampin larger image

1887 Three-light window. The Virgin and Child are seated at the centre of the window, with John writing his gospel in the left-hand light, and Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, in the right-hand light. Angels in the central light hold a banner 'Caritas' (love), while in the outer lights are standing figures holding banners 'Veritas' (truth) and 'Nobilitas' (nobility). The dove of the Holy Sprit descends in the uppermost part of the central light. technique: stained glass firm/studio: C.E. Kempe Church of St Michael, Llanvihangel Crucorney, Monmouthshire east wall of the chancel The window is not listed in the Corpus of stained glass by C.E. Kempe, although the window closely resembles his work. However, a window of 1887 with the same subject is listed at Llanvihangel Ystern-Llewen (west window), which is about ten miles away but also in Monmouthshire. The whereabouts of this window are recorded as unknown. If this window in the chancel at Llanvihangel Crucorney was originally commissioned for a different window, its design and borders fit very well with its existing aperture. Text with John: 'In him was life and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness' (John 1:4-5); text with the Virgin and Child: 'I am the mother of fair love and fear and knowledge and holy hope' (Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach: 24:18); text with Elizabeth of Hungary: 'I prayed & understanding was given me: I called upon God and the Spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her before Sceptres & thrones (Wisdom of Solomon 7:7-8). The window was given in memory of Imogen Emily Hall (died 1886). A note in the church states that the model for John was Vicar Blundell, and that Elizabeth of Hungary was the likeness of Imogen Hall. It also states that this is the only window designed by Kempe in Monmouthshire, but this is very far from the truth, as there are more windows by Kempe in Monmouthshire than in any other Welsh county.  (ObjectID=4917 ImageID=9655) Original File Name=LlanfihangelCrucorney_DSC2440-71A.jpg

This artwork is indexed under the following main subject(s):
for other works containing these subjects please click on the links.

• Madonna: Mary sitting or enthroned, the Christ-child in her lap 
• St Elisabeth of Hungary - the wife and widow of the Landgrave of Thuringia, and Franciscan Tertiary  
• St. John the Evangelist writing the Gospel, usually the eagle present 

John Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire (London/Cardiff: 2000), p. 286.

Philip Collins, The Corpus of Kempe Stained Glass in the UK and Ireland (Kempe Trust, 2000), p. 188.

Photo © Martin Crampin