Fortitudo
from Justice and Fortitude

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales

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1920

A two-light window depicting Michael with scales as Justice, George as Fortitude. Panels beneath: Michael on horseback leading heavenly host and shooting fallen angels with bow and arrow. George on foot killing the dragon. The figure of the fallen Satan with broken sword is shown under the feet of the standing figure of Michael.


firm/studio: Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd.
designer: Herbert Cole

Church of St Mary, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire
north wall of the nave

Given in memory of Norman Owen, 5th Rifles, who died at Sheerness Military Hospital, 1 March 1919.

George is carrying the standard of the Red Lion.

The figure on the horse in the lower left-hand light is inspired by Revelation 19:11, Faithful & True on the white horse, who 'in righteousness...doth judge and make war'. In this chapter the figure is not Michael, but 'The Word of God' (verse 13).

The artist here seems indebted to - possibly - two pre-existing images. The first is The Vision of the White Horse 1798, by Philip James de Loutherbourg (Oil on canvas, 122 x 991 mm, purchased by the Tate Gallery, 1969) and the second Death on a Pale Horse c.1800 by William Blake (Pen, ink, wash and watercolour on paper, 393 x 311 mm, Syndics of Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge). The youthfulness of the rider, crown, armour and shape of the bow in this window have similarities with the Loutherbourg painting, whilst the pose of the horse has more in common with Blake's work. Interestingly, Blake certainly took his inspiration from Revelation 6:8, Death on a pale horse, but de Loutherbourg's was Revelation 19:11, the white horse with Faithful & True as rider. It is this latter image which predominates in this window, the subject matter seen as entirely appropriate for a War Memorial.

 (ObjectID=276 ImageID=901) Original File Name=_MG_1585.jpg

Record added by Martin Crampin, Additional contribution by John Morgan-Guy. Last updated on 28-09-2023

 

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This work is indexed under the following main subject(s):
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• 'Fortitudo', Fortitude - one of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost 
• Justice, 'Justitia'; 'Giustitia divina' (Ripa) ~ one of the Four Cardinal Virtues 
• Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon and his followers; the dragon (Devil, Satan) is cast out of heaven  [Revelation 12:7-9]
• St George 
• the Archangel Michael 

Show more subjects

• St George and the dragon 
• St Michael the Archangel (and other angels) casting the rebel angels out of heaven  [Revelation 12:7-9]
• the horseman whose name was Faithful and True (Christ) with his heavenly army  [Revelation 19:11-16]
• the soldier; the soldier's life 

Martin Crampin, Stained Glass from Welsh Churches (Talybont: Y Lolfa, 2014), pp. 195-6.

Martin Crampin and John Morgan-Guy, Imaging the Bible in Wales (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2010), The Victory of Good Over Evil: St Michael the Archangel.

Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach and Robert Scourfield, The Buildings of Wales: Pembrokeshire (New Haven/London: Yale University Press, 2004), p. 186.

Photo © Martin Crampin, Imaging the Bible in Wales

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