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Everyone visiting All Saints Church, Staveley, stands and marvels at the magnificent painted glass East Window by the renowned artist Jean Baptiste Capronnier. This window, donated in memory of James Bishop Hartley, a former rector of the Parish, by his his wife, Maria Louisa, was installed in 1874. It depicts the Crucifixion, St John, and the Two Marys. There is a smaller window on the North side by the organ also by the same artist.
Capronnier was born in Brussels in 1814, and died there in 1891. He had much to do with the modern revival of glass-painting and made his reputation by his study of the old methods of workmanship, and his clever restorations of old examples. He is credited with doing most to revive the art of stained glass painting and production, fuelled by the popularity of Gothic Romanticism of that time. He carried out major works in Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam, and his work was also commissioned in France, Italy and England. At the Paris Exhibition of 1855 he won the only medal given for glass painting.
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Recent inspection of the East window in Staveley Church, by a specialist in stained glass, shows significant bowing of supports, which need replacing in order to minimise the serious risk of the window collapsing. This work may well cost two to three thousand pounds. |
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