Monday, September 5, 2011

Van Gogh's Inspiration

The mystery of two windows solved at last. (Via Hermes.)
Dutchman van Gogh, who was deeply religious, saw the designs at Cottier and Company when he was working for a clergyman and wrote to his brother Theo about them.

He wrote: 'I saw sketches for two church windows. In the middle of one of the windows the portrait of an elderly lady, such a noble face, with the words 'Thy will be done' inscribed above.

'In the other window, the portrait of her daughter, with the words 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'

It is thought that the windows were put up in the small church around the time of the 8th Earl's death in 1784.

When van Gogh became famous in the 20th century, his correspondence was pored over by experts but none could work out what designs he was referring to. Mr Donnelly put two and two together when he was writing an article about the stained glass of Daniel Cottier and saw pictures of the windows from St Andrew's. It reminded him of the reference by van Gogh in his letter and inspired him to do further research to see if they were the right windows. (Read entire article.)
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