Tag Archives: Oxford

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The Chapel of John the Baptist – St. John’s College

IMG_7058 (edited)I have just revisited The Chapel of John the Baptist at St. John’s College in order to understand better the text scratched into the glass at the top right of the right hand light.  The image to the left is deliberately over-processed in order to make the lettering as clear as possible – and at last, fully understandable.

In combination with the original image, taken from a higher vantage point, it is possible to identify the characters below the twisted cobweb.   As a result, it has been possible to interpolate all of the text, as shown in this second image.  Consequently, I can conclude that the writing states BOSSANYI 1944 (followed possibly by -195) LONDON.

IMG_7058 (edited with text)The two lights are replicas of a pair made by Bossányi for a 1944 commission, which reside in the Zouche Chapel of York Minster.  Bossányi retained the copies for permanent display in his studio to show prospective clients.

Further research has revealed additional information on the context of the light: this shows St. Francis of Assisi with the leper, who, according to the story, was restored to health and reconciled to faith by the saint’s ministrations, and who appeared to Francis in a vision as his soul ascended to the heavens.  The image depicts Francis’ complete engagement with the man’s sufferings, above which the Holy Spirit hovers in the form of a dove.

 

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Chapel of St. Nicholas – rose tinted glasses?

St. Nicholas - Be Ye Kind One to Another GIF.gifToday afforded me a moment to call in on the Chapel of St. Nicholas in order to compare my rendering of Be Ye Kind One to Another with the installation itself.

The concerns I had about the darkness of my image were well founded, and interestingly I had again oversaturated the reds and browns (as was the case with the Harris Manchester College Chapel light Courage).  Perhaps there is some truth to the  rose tinted glasses idiom?!

Such changes were quite easy to correct as was some fine detail in the colouring of the text and punctuation.  The animated GIF to the left demonstrates these subtle changes in a 2-second cycle (but does sacrifice quality):

There is a lot of quality loss in a GIF, so below is a JPEG of the final re-edited image:

St. Nicholas - Be Ye Kind One to Another v2 (low res).jpg

Be Ye Kind One to Another (Henry Holiday, 1901)

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Contemporary Tiles animated

While being creative with Henry Holiday’s glasswork, I was keen to see if there were any other ways that I could put to use the concept… here’s one:

Contemporary Tiles

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Chapel of St. Edmund – Planning visit

St. Edmund Hall was somewhat of an enigma: why does it have its own chapel when its library is housed in a former church, listed in the Domesday Book?  Request to photograph the chapel was directed, as always, at the chaplain Revd Will Donaldson, who was prompt in accepting my request, but also directed my request to photograph the library (St. Peter-in-the-East) to the new librarian.

With each of the chapels varying so greatly, the preliminary visits are so important, affording time to plan which windows might work best and allowing me to decide which lens or lenses are most appropriate for the eventual shoot.  Additionally, it forms the starting point of important background research into the history of each chapel: something that will prove invaluable when I start work on the guide that will accompany the portfolio.

Supper at Emmaus

The supper at Emmaus (Ceri Richards, 1958) Chapel of St. Edmund

The Chapel of St. Edmund really was small.  Built by Stephen Penton and consecrated in 1682, it is famous for the painting ‘The supper at Emmaus’ by Ceri Richards that hangs over the altar and is also well known for the stained-glass window on the east side that was constructed and designed by William Morris and Edward-Burne Jones.

A 3D tour of the chapel proved a useful starting point, but revealed little of the detail of the stained glass windows.  In addition to an impressive East Window, the chapel boasts four pairs of lights, each depicting a saint.  On visiting, it became apparent that some lights where unevenly lit as a result of shadows cast by nearby buildings and trees.  Indeed, one pair of lights is only visible from the organ loft and it is hidden behind the organ – as such it is impossible to photograph in any meaningful way.

The diminutive size of the chapel is quite an issue as I may find that a 90mm lens will be too powerful for photographing the lights in the north and south walls, and anything smaller may result in increased distortion.  As it is, the height of the windows will necessitate photography at an angle, leading to converging verticals that will lessen the image quality through post production digital correction.  The East Windows seems the most sensible choice for photography as it affords the greatest distance, by using the full length of the nave. , but its relatively old  age for a pre-Raphaelite window gives it a rather uncared-for appearance compared with those created in the late 1890’s and beyond.

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St. Peter’s-in-the-East – Planning visit

A window of opportunity enabled me to return to St. Edmund Hall today, for a preliminary visit to their library (formerly St. Peter’s-in-the-East), having secured provisional permission to take photographs, thanks to the support of James Howarth, Librarian at St. Edmund Hall.

While technically a church, as it is deconsecrated and forms part of the St. Edmund Hall campus, I am happy to include reference to it within my research project.

St. Peter-in-the-East is said to be named after the church of S. Pietro in Vincoli in Rome and is named in the Domesday Book (c.1085). It was used as the student chapel for St. Edmund Hall until the chapel was built on the College grounds in 1682.  The church was closed as a place of worship in 1965 and reopened as the College library in 1970.

Once again, aided by a 3D tour of the former church prior to the visit, I was prepared for some of the surprise that was in store… photography can be difficult enough within chapels when only having to negotiate pews, however in a building now filled with bookcases, tables and computer desks, this location will prove quite demanding.  To further confound things, I will only be allowed to photograph the site outside the Oxford University term dates.  This is likely to result in the work not forming part of my Module 3 portfolio.

Notwithstanding, I set about surveying the numerous windows – all magnificently cleaned and restored in readiness for the church becoming the library of St. Edmund Hall.  The location of furniture presents quite a headache for most lines of sight.  I am most optimistic about my chances in photographing the East Window, however, this is likely to necessitate me mounting my tripod on desk – something that may be frowned upon in a library.

Detail information about and from guide book here.

Images to follow.

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The Chapel of St. Edmund

Possibly the smallest chapel in Oxford, St. Edmund Hall’s chapel was consecrated for use in 1682 and dedicated to St Edmund.  The stained glass windows were installed a couple of centuries later by Messrs Clayton and Bell.  Sadly, where photography is concerned, choice over stained glass windows was limited: much of the glass suffered from close proximity to other buildings or dense foliage, making it incredibly dark, or resulting in a mottled appearance.

DCP_8561 (low res)The east window was work of the famous artists and designers, Sir Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris, and was inserted in 1865. It is the earliest example in Oxford of their stained glass work. The arrangement of the window was designed by Philip Webb, who also designed the pattern work. Fortunately, the main light within the East Window (by Burne-Jones) was lit uniformly and lent itself to convenient shooting, as there was the full length of the nave to use.

The east window demonstrated very high contrast, with significant area proving difficult to resolve in anything more than black.  It is also a window that has not been cleaned recently, showing much build-up of dark grime.

St. Edmund Hall - Ecce Agnus Dei (cut out) UPDATED PNG (low res)

Crucifixion (Edward Burne-Jones, 1865) The Chapel of St. Edmund

Ecce Agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi
Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!
John 1:29

Shot at 220mm, using the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, at the now standard aperture of f/8.0, there was only a small amount of perspective distortion to correct in the final image.

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Mansfield College Chapel – Planning visit

Today was due to be a reconnaissance visit to Mansfield College Chapel, but as I was travelling to the neighbouring Harris Manchester College to photograph the east window, despite the less than ideal lighting conditions (bright, clear blue sky) it seemed sensible to attempt some photography.

IMG_3543 ce (lr)

The Victorian Gothic chapel is one of the largest in Oxford and is now a multi-function space.  The college chapel is unconsecrated, and contains stained glass windows and statues depicting leading figures from Nonconformist movements, including Cromwell, Sir Henry Vane and William Penn.  Chapel services are still conducted in a Nonconformist tradition, with an evening service each Wednesday.  It is routinely used as a dining hall – indeed on my visit I was being set up for a significant banquet.

The chapel is aligned almost north-south and with harsh sunlight pouring through the west windows, precluded them from being photographed.  However, the light was more sympathetic on the east wall, where there were a number of low-level windows, sadly, most of these were partially obscured by internal fittings and furnishings stacked within the chapel in addition to receiving unbalanced lighting thanks to foliage outside.

IMG_3536 (lr)

The south windows, while very high,  benefitted from having the full length of the chapel to help minimise angles and converging verticals.  Additionally, the pews at the north end (shown above) afforded some additional height.

While I do have the appropriate kit with me, I imagine that a follow-up visit may be sensible on a day with more sympathetic lighting.

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New College Chapel – Planning visit

In my mind, my intention in New College Chapel was to photograph the Great West window from the organ loft.  However, the brilliant afternoon sunshine was streaming through the west end making such work impractical, so I opted to soak up the atmosphere while the choir was rehearsing.  My short video, recorded from the south side, does provide an idea of the enormity and expanse of the stained glass within the chapel, initially showing a glimpse of some of the ante-chapel glass, before sweeping across the five windows of the north side, with each window containing eight main lights.  The south side is similarly glazed.

© The Choir of New College (Ave verum corpus by William Byrd)

New College Chapel dates back to the fourteenth century and is one of the main choral foundations of the University of Oxford, with a choir regarded as one of the leading choirs of the world, and has recorded over one hundred albums.  It hosts some stunning stained glass that spans the centuries, with windows designed by the 18th-century portraitist Sir Joshua Reynolds and contains works by Sir Jacob Epstein and El Greco.

On this visit, I was seemingly not fully focussed on the task in hand, as despite having the keys to all areas of the chapel, I failed to make observations from the organ loft and also failed to register the windows of the ante-chapel which are recently restored medieval stained glass.  In a restored state, they may be a fine choice if the lay of their surrounds proves favourable.

IMG_3566 (low res)From within the body of the chapel, it is difficult to photograph the lights as a result of their great height, so I am heavily reliant upon the organ loft providing an appropriate view of the glass at the west end, which would be best photographed in the early morning light.

I did make a point of pausing in the cloisters to capture an image – not that it is of any direct value to my Research Project. Clearly I do need another planning visit.

M3 Wk1: From here to there

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Week 1 Challenge: Time to Play

This week’s activity is from Michael Christopher Brown, an American photographer represented by Magnum Photos. He has gained an international reputation, especially for his documentation of the 2011 Libyan Civil War, which was published in a monograph titled Libyan Sugar, by Twin Palms Publishers in 2016.

“For much of my career, photography was more of a way to make money than a compulsion. I spent a lot of time communicating ideas that were not my own. Two years ago, during the Libyan Revolution, I began taking a more honest path with regards to photography. It had to do with finding a voice. An interesting exercise that anyone can do is to take one photograph per day for a week. The idea is to be focused enough to only photograph what is absolutely necessary. What are the seven pictures that not only define the week, but yourself? What if you were to die next week and these were to be the last seven pictures of your life? This exercise can be an important analysis of the self in relation to life and photography.”

Task
Post your seven pictures in the forum space below and discuss what you have discovered.

Week 1 in photographs, captured on an iPhone X…

CE IMG_3522 (low res)Sunday: Choir practice prior to evensong at the Chapel of St. Nicholas.  In 20 years of singing in the chapel, I have never seen the east windows looking so impressively lit.  17:46, four minutes before the start of the practice and the sun was low in the sky to the west, with beautiful clear blue sky lining up perfectly with the top section of the window and sunlight reflecting off the autumnal hues of the trees some 120m in the background, providing warmth to the four figures.  I must hope for repeat conditions when I have the opportunity to photograph the window properly!

CE IMG_3525 (low res)
Monday: After 12 hours of uninterrupted meetings and contact time with children, the evening presented the chance for some project work.

CE IMG_3526 (low res)Tuesday: A full day of duties. 16:45 was my first break in the day, with duties continuing until 20:25.  As the final few boys head out for football practice, I had the chance to sit on the steps and appreciate a beautiful day in Oxford.

CE IMG_3531 (low res)Wednesday: My half day… I am free from 11:30, so headed out to the other side of Oxford to collect a selection of double-mounted prints that I am gradually putting together in readiness for a exhibition.  With the prospect of 40+ images to have mounted and framed, I am having to do this a few at a time to spread the cost. I am yet to commit to the framing!

CE IMG_3536 (low res)Thursday: Short Leave… the first break of the Michaelmas term and the chance to add to my portfolio.  Mansfield College is a stunning location, lit rather too well today, but that aided in my selection of stained glass windows to photograph.  The weather was just brilliant, and it is the perfect time to visit Oxford: most tourists and school visits have ceased, and the students do not return until Monday.  The back streets were quiet and I was quickly reminded why I love living here – I had a smile on my face all afternoon.

CE IMG_3551 (low res)Friday: More time spent in town and another perfect day… sadly not so perfect for photographing stained glass, where the idyllic conditions are overcast but bright.  New College is an old haunt at which I have sung on many occasions.  On checking in with the Porter’s Lodge, I was simply handed the huge and impressive bunch of ancient keys to the chapel (why didn’t I photograph them?!), and told to help myself.  However, the cloisters were looking particularly fine (known to many who have enjoyed the Harry Potter films).

CE IMG_3563 (low res)Saturday: Another beautiful day with the opportunity to edit some of the photographs taken in the past two days.  Extraordinarily, for the final days of September, my garden still needs watering and this is the rather splendid sight on the wall at the end of the garden: a vine growing from cuttings taken from an ancient vine within the school.

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University College Chapel – Planning visit

Work started on Univ Chapel in 1639.  Inspired by the Dutch artist Abraham van Linge‘s windows in the chapels of Lincoln College and Queen’s College, together with Christ Church Cathedral, eight side windows and one grand east window was commissioned.

While the side windows were finished in 1641 (van Linge’s last windows in Oxford), the English Civil War interrupted further work and it was not until after the Restoration of the Monarchy that the chapel was consecrated (20 March 1666).

The east end of the chapel was captured in a photograph by William Fox Talbot shortly before an extensive refurbishment in the 1860’s that saw the installation of a new roof and east window.  More images can be seen in The Talbot Catalogue Raisonné.

University College Chapel - Fox Talbot.jpg

William Fox Talbot (1843) University College Chapel

Unfortunately, without further permission to access the Master’s Lawn, I am unable to recreate this image perfectly, which would have been a fitting touch.  However, my image below shows the significant alterations that were made to the chapel following Fox Talbot’s photograph.  That gives me an idea for another project: In the footsteps of Fox Talbot, recreating his Oxford portfolio.  Perhaps in another life.

Univ Chapel (low res).jpg

Van Linge (lr)Permission to photograph the chapel was  a long time coming, but I was granted permission for a planning visit on 10 October, spending some time appreciating the location and considering the options.  It is probable that in keeping with my recent work in Harris Manchester, I will capture some of the smaller lights within the east window in addition to one or two larger lights.  The perennial challenge of excluding large candelabras from the photographs will be a feature here, with two at a frustratingly low-level.

Univ (lr)