John Thornton of Coventry (fl. 1405-1433)(glass painter)

John Thornton of Coventry (fl. 1405-1433) was a master glazier and stained glass artist active in England during the 15th century. The output of his workshop includes some of the finest English medieval glass.

Biography

The first certain record of Thornton, apart from a possible 1371 reference in Coventry, is his 1405 contract with the Dean of York Minster to glaze the quire east window. The Archbishop of York at the time was Richard le Scrope, a former Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and the window was funded by Walter Skirlaw, also previously Bishop of Coventry, so it seems possible both men would have recommended Thornton based on their knowledge of his work in his home town.

Thornton was made a freeman of York in 1410, but was known to be back living in the St John's Bridges area of Coventry (now known as Burges)^[2] by 1413. He appears again in 1433, when he received further payment from the dean and chapter of York, and was recorded as holding property there.

It has been suggested, though without any strong evidence, that Thornton was the son of a "John Coventre", a glazier in the royal glass-painting workshops at Westminster in 1351 and 1352, who later assisted in setting up windows at Windsor Castle for Edward III of England. Thornton could have worked as an assistant to his father before rising to the position of designer and draughtsman.

Works

Thornton was instrumental in disseminating the International Gothic style in the north and Midlands of England. The products of his workshop can be recognised by their favouring of white glass and yellow stain set against blue and ruby "seaweed"-patterned backgrounds, and by the very distinctive modelling of faces.

Thornton's masterpiece is the Great East Window of York Minster, the largest in the building and containing about 1,680 square feet (156 m²) of glass. According to the contract, much of the work was to be executed by his own hand, though specifically only to "pourtray [...] the histories, images, and other things to be painted on the [window]"; evidently some of the glazing would be carried out by apprentices or workmen. Thornton is likely to have recruited glaziers locally in York: he seems to have been an enthusiastic teacher, and his style quickly became dominant in the area.

Work thought to be by Thornton can also be found in several smaller churches, as well as in St Mary's Hall in Coventry. His surviving windows for Coventry Cathedral were removed before it was destroyed in the Coventry Blitz and have been preserved. He is also thought to have produced the windows from the chapel at Hampton Court, Herefordshire, which are now dispersed in various collections, and seven panels in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Newark-on-Trent.

The Thornton 'tradition' continued in York even after the middle of the 15th century, though many of the works produced show a coarsening or loss of quality compared with Thornton's authentic creations.

Great East Window, York Minster, made by by John Thornton, 1405-8

Abraham greeted by Melchisedech. Gen 14:18-20 (He carries bread). Two images combined to give a fuller view of these panels, which are difficult, if not impossible, to photograph in situ.

Bishop Walter Skirlaw was the benefactor of the window. Arms, as recorded in the Heralds' College: Argent, three pallets interlacing three barrulets sable. "This coat differs altogether from those said to be sculptured around his buildings". (Source: Stephen Hyde Cassan, Lives of the Bishops of Bath and Wells, p.191). Alternative blazon Argent, a cross triple parted and fretted sable (SKIRLAW, or SCYRLOW, Yorkshire), source: A GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN HERALDRY by JAMES PARKER FIRST PUBLISHED in 1894 "Roger Dodsworth (1585–1654) (antiquary) preserved a story that he was the son of a sieve-maker ... but his father's alleged trade may be no more than inference from the riddle-like bearings of his coat-of-arms" (Source: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 52 Skirlaw, Walter by James Tait ) Dodsworth, re Meaux Abbey: Remember Walter Skirlaw, borne att Skirlaw, a sivier’s son, and run away from his father, being very untoward, came to the university (of Oxford) and ther was a sizer, and came to have such learning as he was made bishop of Durrham, his father never knowing what was become of him, and when he came to Durrham he sent his steward to inquire for his father and mother, and after notice of their being alive he sent for them, and in memory of his being borne ther builded a faire chappell att Swine (w:Swine Priory, Yorkshire) wher he sett his armes in every window, videlicet, a crosse of ther (sic) spells of a sive or riddle", in memory and acknowledgment from whence he sprunge. (Source: John William Clay (ed), YAS Record Series Vol. 34: Yorkshire church notes, 1619-1631, by Roger Dodsworth, p.156) Arms visible at Durham Cathedral & Cloisters; York Minster, East Window; University College Oxford; front of Hilton Castle ( Eliza Gutch, County Folk-Lore Volume VI). Also sculpted on porch battlements of the Bishop's Manor House, Howden, Yorkshire "And on all these buildings he placed his arms, viz. Six oziers interlaced after the manner of a sieve (Latin: 6 virgas vicissim flexatas in forma crebri) (Churches of Yorkshire, Volumes 1-2 edited by George Ayliffe Poole)

York Minster - Cain and Abel.

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York Minster - Creation of fishes.

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York Minster - Creation of man

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York Minster - Great East Window, Crossing of the Red Sea.

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York minster - David and Goliath.

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York Minster - Drunkenness of Noah

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York Minster - Expulsion (crop).

Created: between 1405 and 1408

York Minster - Fourth Day of Creation (crop)

Created: between 1405 and 1408

Isaac blesses Jacob. Gen 27:22-7 Two images combined to give a fuller view of these panels, which are difficult, if not impossible, to photograph in situ.

Jacob and The Ladder. Gen 28:12-15 Two images combined to give a fuller view of these panels, which are difficult, if not impossible, to photograph in situ.

Jacob blesses his sons. Gen 49:1-2 Two images combined to give a fuller view of these panels, which are difficult, if not impossible, to photograph in situ.

Joseph and his Brethren. Gen 42:6-8 Two images combined to give a fuller view of these panels, which are difficult, if not impossible, to photograph in situ.

York Minster - 1a, King Ebrauk and Officials

Created: between 1405 and 1408

King Lucius and two other Kings, East Window, York Minster

King William I, King Edward the Confessor, King Edward III

By John Thornton, from the east window of York Minster

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh. Exodus 7:10 & 12:31 Aaron took the rod..and it was turned into a serpent. Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

Moses and The Burning Bush. Exodus 3:1-6 (The sheep are not seen) Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

Moses and The Serpent of Brass. Numbers 21:8-9 "The Brazen Serpent" Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

Moses discovered by Pharaoh's Daughter. Exodus 2:1-6 Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

Moses received The Tablets of the Law. Exodus 31:18 Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

Pope Celestine III, St William and an unidentified Prelate

Stained glass East Window, York Minster, by John Thornton (fl. 1405-1433). Depicting Pope Celestine (ruled 1143-4) (centre), Saint William of York, Archbishop of York (right) and another unidentified Archbishop of York, personal arms missing (left). Attributed arms of Saint William of York (d.1154), Archbishop of York 1143-7 (deposed) 1153-4 (restored): Or, ten mascles pierced gules, 3,3,3,1, impaled by arms of the See of York ("ancient"), with field gules rather than the usual azure. Centre: Arms of Walter Skirlaw, Bishop of Durham, who donated the window.

St Eleutherius, St Pirrannus and an unidentified Archbishop-Saint
By John Thornton, from the east window in York Minster

St John glimpses God in Majesty
Stained glass from the East Window of York minster. Revelation 4:1-9. Saint John looks through a kind of trapdoor at the bottom left. God, in the centre, has summoned him to heaven to show him eternity. Written on the scrolls are words of eternal praise offered to God by the four creatures.

Thornton's depiction of St John the Baptist, from the Great East Window of York Minster, showing his characteristic treatment of faces

Samson in the House at Gaza. Judges 16:25-6 "Suffer me to touch the pillars which support the whole house". He managed to kill over 3000 people. Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

Seven churches of Asia

The Seven Churches of Asia in the East Window at York Minster. Medieval glass designed by John Thornton. Saint John (bottom left) is told by an angel to write to the seven churches of Asia about his vision. John Thornton's glazing design is unique as it combines all seven churches into one image. Each is represented by an archbishop standing in a shrine-like building. Photograph taken whilst the East Window was under repair, and restored sections were being displayed to visitors.

York Minster - Seventh Day of Creation - crop

Created: between 1405 and 1408

The Death of Absalom. 2 Samuel 18:9-14 "So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak" Panels in row 13 are impossible to photograph clearly in situ, due to the stonework of the window.

The Dragon makes war on the woman's Seed. Rev 12:17 The lower part of the image is obscured by the window stonework.

York Minster - The Fall

The Fifth Vial. Rev 16:10-11 "And the fifth angel poured out his Vial on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish and curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores; yet they did not repent of their deeds".

The First and Second days of creation. Genesis 1:1-5 and Genesis 1:6-8

Third and fourth day of creation Genesis 1:9-13 and Genesis 1:14-19

York Minster - The first Day of Creation

The Killing of the two witnesses. Rev 11:7-10 The lower part of the image is obscured by the window stonework.

The Lamb on Mount Zion and the Redeemed

The Seventh Angel sounds the Trumpet. Rev 11:15-17 The lower part of the image is obscured by the window stonework.

The Temple of God and the Ark of His testament. Rev 11:19 The lower part of the image is obscured by the window stonework.

The Third Day of Creation. The Fourth Day of Creation John Thornton of Coventry (fl. 1405-1433) was a master glazier and stained glass artist active in England during the 15th century. The output of his workshop includes some of the finest English medieval glass. The first certain record of Thornton, apart from a possible 1371 reference in Coventry, is his 1405 contract with the Dean of York Minster to glaze the quire east window. The Archbishop of York at the time was Richard le Scrope, a former Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and the window was funded by Walter Skirlaw, also previously Bishop of Coventry, so it seems possible both men would have recommended Thornton based on their knowledge of his work in his home town. Thornton was made a freeman of York in 1410, but was known to be back living in the St John's Bridges area of Coventry (now known as Burges) by 1413. He appears again in 1433, when he received further payment from the dean and chapter of York, and was recorded as holding property there. Thornton's masterpiece is the Great East Window of York Minster, the largest in the building and containing about 1,680 square feet (156 m2) of glass. According to the contract, much of the work was to be executed by his own hand, though specifically only to "pourtray [...] the histories, images, and other things to be painted on the [window]"; evidently some of the glazing would be carried out by apprentices or workmen. Thornton is likely to have recruited glaziers locally in York: he seems to have been an enthusiastic teacher, and his style quickly became dominant in the area. Work thought to be by Thornton can also be found in several smaller churches, as well as in St Mary's Hall in Coventry. His surviving windows for Coventry Cathedral were removed before it was destroyed in the Coventry Blitz and have been preserved. He is also thought to have produced the windows from the chapel at Hampton Court, Herefordshire, which are now dispersed in various collections, and seven panels in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Newark-on-Trent.

The woman clothed with the Sun. Rev 12:1-5 The pregnant woman with the moon under her feet, and the dragon with seven heads and ten horns. The lower part of the image is obscured by the window stonework.