Capronnier glass at Compton Pauncefoot Church, Somerset

19th Century

St. Mary the Virgin Church, Compton Pauncefoot, Somerset 

The conservation, cleaning, and re-leading of Window sV, made by Belgium artist and glassmaker Jean Baptiste Capronnier in 1877.

 St. Mary’s Church has five beautiful stained glass windows, signed by Jean Baptiste Capronnier (1814-1891).  They illustrate scenes of the life of Jesus, from the New Testament.  Capronnier was a Belgian artist who took commissions in Belgium, France, Italy, and England predominantly.  His work at Compton Pauncefoot is highly detailed and uses soft painterly effects; achieved by the use of oils as a carrier for the paint.  He also used very large pieces of thin crown glass, in an interlocking lead design, combining a variety of oils, enamels, and stain for decoration.  Victorian glass is remarkable for its dazzling variety and although there is much repetitive ‘trade’ glass surviving, there is also glass of very high quality and worth. Window sV is a good example of this.  Its date of manufacture, 1877, is clearly displayed in the bottom corner of the left hand light.  The entire window was in a very weak state, and was dismantled and re-leaded, and the opening casement refurbished.  The glass was cleaned, and pieces of broken glass were edge-bonded with either silicone or copper foil.  Those small areas with missing glass were filled with newly painted replacements.

Click below to see more HWG work at this church:-

Compton Pauncefoot Church, Somerset