So, you think of old stained glass & you think of proper saints, right? WRONG! There was some mad stuff made. I intend to keep a compendium of bizarre old glass -- the more lurid and morbid the better!
First up is this odd wee roundel in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow. St. Notkur Balbulous beating the devil, who came to tempt him while in the form of a dog. How exactly the devil, especially in that pose, was tempting the saint, is not explained.
The saint's robes are stunningly black -- but look at that lurid devil dog! A contorted pose and unlikely anatomy. Green enamels painted on the back and blue and silver stained spots on the front give a subtle parallax shift.
RSS Feed
