MEDIAEVAL PAINTING 



Wythe is paid ' pro 50 soundis piscium 2d.' ' Be this as it may, in many 

 of the paintings there is a crispness of touch in certain details which 

 might lead to the conclusion that they were executed in tempera rather 

 than in oil and possibly afterwards varnished. It is probable, however, 

 that with the sixteenth century oil painting had been generally adopted. 

 The mechanical aid of stencilling was resorted to, but mostly in the 

 monograms and wreaths and some other details of roof-decoration. The 

 fine work upon the screens was effected in great measure by hand, as may 

 readily be seen. 



The history of the painters of the Norfolk screens and mural pictures 

 has not been handed down to us. No English Vasari has written the lives of 

 these obscure artists. Yet some records remain of them in various old docu- 

 ments from which room may be found here for a few quotations. The earliest 

 mention of painters and painting in these documents occurs in the sacrists' 

 rolls, or fabric accounts, of the cathedral church of Norwich. As yet nothing 

 has come to light with respect to the executants of the twelfth-century mural 

 decoration which covered the quire and its aisles, and which, though simple 

 in character, was on so extensive a scale, but under the date 1275'' is a notice 

 in the rolls of colours bought for painters, and in 1277 a Master William, 

 apparently a carver as well as a painter, is mentioned, and further purchases 

 recorded of colours, oils, and varnish.* In 1279—80 gold was bought, and 

 more colours, and the painters William and Philip, John and Matthew, received 

 their wages ; in John's case for 20 weeks and in Matthew's for 6 weeks.* 

 In 1288-9 Master Richard, John le Noreis, John dc Deford, Henry the 

 painter, William the painter, and Simon Cok, were paid wages for work 

 upon a certain tabula." In 1305—6 gold was bought, and colours, to be 

 employed upon the shrine of St. William the boy saint, and Simon the 

 painter and his apprentice received wages and the cost of their board for 

 9 weeks.* After this last date the entries in these rolls become less frequent 

 and of little importance. 



Another source of information may be drawn upon however, viz. the 

 Court rolls, preserved in the Norwich Municipal archives, dating from 1285 



1 Fish glue was used in joinery in the middle ages, but as the material is mentioned here as supplied by 

 a painter, it may have been used properly diluted as a medium in painting. 



^ 1275-6. Pro azur' ad pictorem et pro vermeliun et pro lineis pannis ad opus pictoris et alijs coloribuj 

 ad opus ejusdem. xxxj/. vijV. ob. 



* 1277-8. Magistro Willelmo pro factura yna .... iiij/;3. yjV. viij^. 



Eidem pro factura xxj. panellorum et pro depictione unius panelli et pro tabernaculo itlib. viij/. 

 Pro azur' et vermelione. vertegriz xiij' argent' xv'= & di aur'. croco. albo plumbo. oleo. verniz et petris 

 V. Rb. xxiijV. 



* 1279-80. Pro auro empto petr' stangno et coloribus xylib. ijV. 



In stipendiis Willelmi et Philipi pictorum ad festum Sancti Michaelis usque ad Pentecost. Iviij/. 

 In stipendio Johannis pictoris per . xx . septimanas xviij/. 

 In stipendio Mathei pictoris per vj septimanas iiij/. 



' 1288-9. In stipendiis circa tabulam. Magistro Richard, v. marcas. It. Johanni le Noreis xx/. ijV. 

 Item, Johanni de Deford xj/. xjV. Henrico pictori xj/. Willelmo pictori vj/. viij</. Item, Simoni Cok, 

 xxviij</. 



* 1305-6. In C et xl foliis auri emptis ad feretrum Sancti Willelmi vj/. viiji^. 



Item in C et dimidio argenti xja'. Item in xij libris albi plumbi vermicl' et Orpyment \]s. \]d. In oleo 

 ad depingendum nd. Item in stipendiis et victualibus Symonis pictoris et garcionis sui per ix septimani* 

 xxv/. VJ<2'. 



My thanks are due to Mr. W. H. St. John Hope for the extracts quoted from these rolls. 



551 



