Fig. 6. Name that Roundel! © Kees Berserik
This month’s puzzle comes from the parish church of St Lawrence at West Wycombe (Buckinghamshire). It shows several figures in acts of prayer inside a richly decorated temple with a statue in a niche to the right. In the middle ground a man is kneeling and looking straight ahead. At the right of the panel a second man is making a low obeisance. Through an opening a third man can be seen kneeling before a standing figure.
The panel consists of clear glass with black vitreous paint and yellow stain. It measures 27 by 20 cm, and has been dated to 1565-70.
What subject does the scene depict?
Roundels and other single panels of this period typically depict a range of subjects, including stories from the Old and New Testaments, the Lives of saints, and tales from ancient history and classical literature, such as Homer’s Odyssey. Moral themes can also appear.
The solution can be found at the foot of this month’s Books section.
