50 ON COLOUR. Pakt I. 



distance. And even if this defect could be overcome, the 

 lead, or other metal-work would infallibly ruin the picture. 

 For these reasons it would be improper to select a landscape, 

 for instance, as the principal subject of a glass painting. A 

 subject of this description, though it might form a valu- 

 able auxiliary as a background to a design, would, if ex- 

 ecuted by itself, only betray the defectiveness of the art in its 

 flatness and want of atmosphere. The same objection equally 

 applies to long perspective views of interiors, and the like. To 

 these may be added groups of figures, or even single figures, 

 requiring a great display of foreshortening : and compositions 

 which do not simply consist of figures confined to the fore- 

 ground, but comprise distant groups carried far into the back- 

 ground of the picture. 



"The subjects which appear best suited to glass paintings 

 are those which, when executed, are of themselves pleasing 

 objects, and are favourable to a display of the translucent 

 qualities of the glass. Of this kind are ornamental patterns, 

 and a variety of other designs capable of being properly repre- 

 sented in a simple, hard, and somewhat flat manner ; by broad 

 masses of stiff colouring, hard outlines, and vivid contrasts of 

 light and shade." 



I cannot, however, agree with him, that a subject like 

 " The Eaising of Lazarus, by Sebastiano del Piombo, in the 

 National Gallery, would form, with a little modification, a 

 good design for a glass painting ;" but rather coincide with 

 him in this opinion, that, " in order to render available the 

 translucent quality of glass to the utmost extent under every 

 conjuncture, the artist should adopt the mosaic system of glass 

 painting; because, under this system, the most brilliant and 

 powerful effects of light and colour can be produced. . . . 

 Whether it is white or coloured, it is equally transparent; . . . 

 hence, cseteris paribus, a mosaic glass painting, the whole of 

 whose basis is equally transparent, must be more diaphanous 



