Medieval History
The Gothic revival designer Sir Ninian Comper (1864-1960) was a master at creating richly decorated ecclesiastical furniture and interiors. Many of the elements in his design work, notably his textiles, were derived from medieval sources, mostly North European panel paintings. Here are a couple of examples:
This is Rogier Van der Weyden's exhumation of St Hubert, 1437-40, in the National Gallery:
Comper used the figure on the far right of this painting, in the red and gold coat, as the source for his 'St Hubert' brocatelle:
Another Van der Weyden panel, the Annunciation in the St Columba altarpiece of c.1455, now in Munich, was the source for another pattern.
The pattern of the bed hanging behind Our Lady's head, provided the pattern for his 'Van de Weyden'textile:
Incidentally both of these textiles are still available commercially from Watts and Co. http://www.wattsandco.com/default.asp
For more of Comper's textiles it's worth having a look in the Comper Flickr pool:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/comper/
- Southwark Cathedral Lent Array
As a contrast to Tapper's work at Westminster here are some pictures of Sir Ninian Comper's Lenten array in Southwark Cathedral, photographed by SarumSleuth. Comper's array is near contemporary with that at Westminster...
- South Elkington
South Elkington, Lincolnshire, originally uploaded by Vitrearum.I am very grateful to Fr Anthony Symondson for solving the puzzle of Bernard Smith (see comment on the previous post). If I had picked up my copy of his work on Sir Ninian Comper, the answer...
- Virgin Mother & Child Jesus
Virgin Mother & Child Jesus, originally uploaded by Lawrence OP.This is such a lovely image of Our Lady and the Child Jesus, that I couldn't resist posting it here. Lawrence OP has captured superbly the central image of the lady chapel reredos...
- Comper High Mass Vestments At St Mark's Philadelphia
Front of Chasuble by Ninian Comper, originally uploaded by dave62448.I'm not going to comment on the fabulous photos Davis has posted on his Flickr stream, I think these Comper vestments speak for themselves. The vestments are at St Mark's Philadelphia...
- A Long-lost Comper Commission?
Great Haseley, Oxfordshire, originally uploaded by Vitrearum.The chancel of the glorious church at Great Haseley in Oxfordshire has an 'English altar'. You know the sort of arrangement I mean, one that is enclosed on three sides with curtains,...
Medieval History
The origin of two of Sir Ninian Comper's textile designs
The Gothic revival designer Sir Ninian Comper (1864-1960) was a master at creating richly decorated ecclesiastical furniture and interiors. Many of the elements in his design work, notably his textiles, were derived from medieval sources, mostly North European panel paintings. Here are a couple of examples:
This is Rogier Van der Weyden's exhumation of St Hubert, 1437-40, in the National Gallery:
Comper used the figure on the far right of this painting, in the red and gold coat, as the source for his 'St Hubert' brocatelle:
Another Van der Weyden panel, the Annunciation in the St Columba altarpiece of c.1455, now in Munich, was the source for another pattern.
The pattern of the bed hanging behind Our Lady's head, provided the pattern for his 'Van de Weyden'textile:
Incidentally both of these textiles are still available commercially from Watts and Co. http://www.wattsandco.com/default.asp
For more of Comper's textiles it's worth having a look in the Comper Flickr pool:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/comper/
- Southwark Cathedral Lent Array
As a contrast to Tapper's work at Westminster here are some pictures of Sir Ninian Comper's Lenten array in Southwark Cathedral, photographed by SarumSleuth. Comper's array is near contemporary with that at Westminster...
- South Elkington
South Elkington, Lincolnshire, originally uploaded by Vitrearum.I am very grateful to Fr Anthony Symondson for solving the puzzle of Bernard Smith (see comment on the previous post). If I had picked up my copy of his work on Sir Ninian Comper, the answer...
- Virgin Mother & Child Jesus
Virgin Mother & Child Jesus, originally uploaded by Lawrence OP.This is such a lovely image of Our Lady and the Child Jesus, that I couldn't resist posting it here. Lawrence OP has captured superbly the central image of the lady chapel reredos...
- Comper High Mass Vestments At St Mark's Philadelphia
Front of Chasuble by Ninian Comper, originally uploaded by dave62448.I'm not going to comment on the fabulous photos Davis has posted on his Flickr stream, I think these Comper vestments speak for themselves. The vestments are at St Mark's Philadelphia...
- A Long-lost Comper Commission?
Great Haseley, Oxfordshire, originally uploaded by Vitrearum.The chancel of the glorious church at Great Haseley in Oxfordshire has an 'English altar'. You know the sort of arrangement I mean, one that is enclosed on three sides with curtains,...