§20,27. GROUNDS OF THE WINDOWS. 39 



adopted as belonging to the time, rather than for any merit as 

 glass patterns beyond that of being easily adapted by their 

 form to the purpose ; but the arabesque pattern (which was 

 used in windows at the same period) was the result of greater 

 feeling for graceful ornament. It is certainly preferable as a 

 ground. This, indeed, is abundantly shown by the windows 

 in the Sainte-Chapelle at Paris, erected by Louis IX. 

 (1241-1244), which for form, variety, colour, and the com- 

 bination of the medallions and grounds, are conspicuous 

 among the most splendid ones in France of that period. And 

 while mentioning the beauty of that glass, I cannot but do 

 justice to the talent of M. Luson, who has been employed to 

 restore it; for the most fastidious and accurate eye is unable 

 to distinguish between the original and modern parts of those 

 brilliant windows. 



The coloured grounds are frequently composed of red lines 

 on blue, with a yellow dot at their junction, or in the centre 

 of the blue field ; or of arabesque scroll-work of red, yellow, 

 and some little green, on a blue ground. The general rule 

 respecting the ground is, that its pattern shall appear to be 

 continuous, and (as I before stated) with the medallions 

 placed upon it; not, as in some modern glass, with the 

 ground broken up into separate spaces, each containing its 

 own pattern, whereby a great quantity of the colour of the 

 field is left plain around that pattern. This makes the 

 window heavy, disturbs the distribution and harmony of the 

 whole design, and is directly opposed to the true principle of 

 mosaic glass-work. Another important point in the treat- 

 ment of grounds is to prevent their extending over too large 

 a surface ; for wherever they occupy the greater portion of a 

 window the proportion and the general effect of the whole 

 composition are impaired. This too should be borne in 

 mind, that neither in the grounds (when surrounding me- 

 dallions) nor in the figures, nor in other parts of a window, 



D 4 



