Restoration
A collection of four 3.6-metre-high stained-glass windows were purchased by a collector of stained glass in very poor condition, with many components missing or badly damaged. The project began by setting out the pieces to begin finding what was there, what was missing and what the conservation approach was to be. From the outset the intention of the client was to finish with a close to complete set of four windows, with missing components developed from other existing areas from within the partner windows; such as the Tudor Rose canopy below.
The upper section of the canopy, pictured here, is new infill material based upon the existing artwork within one of the partner windows.
English hand made glass of the same colour and depth was selected, stained glass paint colour and silver stain were tested and matched. With the exception of moderately conspicuious date marks, the replica components are indecernable from the originals.
Glass specific epoxy resin was used to edge glue fractured material. Some cold colour was used to reproduce areas of missing artwork. In the case of this angle, a new segment of glass was cut, the area of missing brow was hand drawn and then painted in the traditional way. This piece was then consolidated into position with epoxy. The face still has a distracting damaged element to its readability, however considering the amount of original material that was available, the element had to be reintroduced to the window.
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The systems very briefly described above were used countless times for the many missing and degraded areas of the windows. One window in particular required substantial reconstruction. The result is a very harmonious presentation of Mr Dix's Four Evangelists, set in timber frames and displayed to natural light.
