Chapter XIII: Foreign Brasses

Brasses on the Continent, as already stated, were engraved on quadrilateral plates, the inscription, canopy and background, all being engraved on the same plates, there is therefore no background of stone, as in England. Any space left over was usually filled with diaper work or some similar pattern. Many of those which still survive on the Continent are remarkably splendid. There were originally at least three great schools, besides several minor subdivisions. These were the German, Flemish, and French. The Revolutionaries destroyed almost all those in France and the Reformers played sad havoc with the Dutch and German monuments. Still, many fine examples remain of the German and Flemish schools. The former are found at Ringstead, Denmark, engr. c. 1350, to King Eric and Queen Ingeborg, at Lübeck, Schwerin, Stralsund (Pomerania), Thorn and elsewhere. The latter exist at Ghent 14th c., Brussels 1398, Bruges 15th c. Most of these were Hanse towns and all carried on trade with England. Merchants from them settled in England and in some cases had their brasses made abroad. It thus came about that 14 remain of undoubtedly foreign work, besides two which were bought abroad and are now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. These form an entirely separate group and must be dealt with apart.

On the other hand, one English brass is known to exist on the Continent. It is at Constance, to the memory of an English bishop who died at the Council of Constance.

The finest foreign brasses are those of the fourteenth century, and are as follows: Adam de Walsokne and wife, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, 1349; Abbot Thos. Delamere, St Albans Abbey, c. 1360; Simon de Wenslagh, priest, Wensley, Yorks., c. 1360; a Priest, North Mimms, Herts., c. 1360; Robt. Braunche and two wives, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, 1364; Ralph de Knevyngton (in armour, small) Aveley, Essex, 1370; Alan Fleming, Newark, Notts., c. 1375; and Thos. de Topclyffe and wife, Topcliffe, Yorks., 1391.

There seems little doubt that these fall into two schools--North German and Flemish.

The first may be called North German, and five brasses of Hanseatic merchants are so exactly alike that they must come from the very same workshop. They are the two at King’s Lynn and one each at St Peter’s, Lübeck, 1356, at Thorn, 1357, and at Stralsund, 1361.

The trefoils on the background are similar, and so are the cushions on which rest the heads of the figures. A woodhouse (a wild man) struggles with an animal between the feet of the merchant, in each case.

The most interesting feature in each is that beneath the feet of the figures a long compartment is reserved for a scene. In the Walsokne brass, a horseman carrying corn to be ground at a mill is followed by two men bearing their master on a litter. There are also hunting scenes and a forester fighting with an outlaw. In the Braunche brass there is a representation (probably) of the mayor’s feast at Lynn. Braunche was mayor in 1349 or 1359. The three peacocks are being borne by fair ladies heralded by trumpets.

There is in every brass a magnificent canopy with figures either of saints or of “weepers” in niches. The soul, a small naked figure, is being borne aloft by angels to God the Father.

The large number of figures included may be judged when we consider that the Walsokne brass has 57 alone. The principal figures are clad in the civilian costume already described, and their wives in the mantle, sideless _cote-hardi_ and kirtle. In some the mantle is omitted, when it is easier to see the beautiful figured pattern with which the kirtle is adorned.

The Walsokne brass measures 9 ft. 10 in. × 5 ft. 8 in., and the Braunche 8 ft. 10 in. × 5 ft. 1 in., and some of the Continental ones are even larger.

The second group springs from a second workshop and includes three ecclesiastical brasses and the Royal brass at Ringstead. The former are at St Albans, Lübeck and Schwerin (1347) respectively. The distinguishing feature of this group is that the cushions are omitted. A few other details differ, but in the main they follow the same lines as the others of North Germany. These two sub-groups probably both came from Lübeck, but are by different hands.

The Newark brass is also North German, but of later work than the other, for, though dated 1361, it was probably engraved about 1375. The most striking difference is that the canopy is drawn in perspective, with very unsatisfactory results. It is rather similar to the huge brass of Bishops Godfrey and Frederic de Bulowe at Schwerin, 1375. The latter measures 13 ft. 6 in. × 6 ft. 5 in. and is the largest in the world. The Newark brass measures 9 ft. 4 in. × 5 ft. 7 in. It is unfortunately much worn, and has been removed from its original position and placed against the wall.

The Wensley brass is also North German. The robes of the priest are embroidered in a similar design to those of Abbot Delamere, but there is no canopy or background.

The North Mimms brass is similar, but not so well engraved and the figure is only 27 inches long. The canopy has niches with the apostles, two angels with censor and the soul in the arms of the Father. There is no background, but probably it was cut away by the English workmen who laid it in the stone to make it suit English ideas. The composition rises from a bracket on which is a coat-of-arms and two lions.

The Aveley and Topcliffe brasses are almost certainly Flemish. The former is very small, but beautifully engraved; there is a canopy, and the background has no design, being simply cross-hatched. The other brass measures 5 ft. 9 in. × 3 ft. 1 in. and represents a civilian and his wife. The ground work is a diaper pattern, and there is a fine canopy. On the reverse of several pieces earlier work exists and in one place a Flemish inscription.

There are five other English brasses of foreign work, and two foreign ones are in the Victoria and Albert Museum. There are also a few fragments among the palimpsests (see Chap. VI) and a fragment in the British Museum. (See Appendix.)