St. John the Baptist Church Windsor

Also known as the Windsor Parish Church, this house of worship was built by architect John Hollis in 1822 after the demolition of the original Norman church from the Middle Ages.

The interior has a hammerbeam roof, which is typical of English Gothic architecture that was popular between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. The chancel was originally situated against the back wall of the church.

A new apse – designed in the Gothic Revival style – was added in 1870 by architect Samuel Sanders (S.S.) Teulon.

The new chancel wall is decorated with Salviati mosaics. Five sets of double panels sit directly under the same number of very tall, Gothic stained glass windows

 

Starting on the left, the first set of mosaics contains two angels – one is playing a violin, the other is banging a drum. Each is topped with a medallion that is in some way related to Christ's Passion. The first one shows a rooster – a symbol of Peter's denial of Christ, while the other is of crossed hatchets or battle axes – the emblem of St. John the Baptist.

The next set of mosaics depicts two angels kneeling in prayer. Their medallions show crossed pliers and a hammer, as well as an arrow, sponge, dice, and chalice motif.

The two mosaic compositions in the middle are of a lamb and pelican, respectively. The lamb, representing Christ and wearing a cruciform halo, carries a white flag with the red St. George cross, which is also the flag of England. The similarly haloed pelican, also symbolizing Christ and his sacrifice, is feeding its three young with drops of its own blood. The letters alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, decorate the medallions above the animals and indicate that Christ is both the beginning and the end.

The mosaics on the right of the central panel also show two angels kneeling in prayer. The symbols above them are of crossed reeds, a column and Veronica's veil with Christ's imprinted image, as well as the three nails of the cross and the crown of thorns.

Finally, the mosaic set to the far right contains one angel playing a trumpet and the other a hand-held organ. Above them is a ladder with a robe, and a crossed spear, sponge, reed and banner with the letters “INRI” meaning “Jesus of Nazareth, King of Jews.”
 

All of the mosaic sets are flanked by two additional, narrow mosaics showing various symbolic flowers growing out of decorative urns.

Sources:
Kovach, Rita S. "The Anglo-Catholic Revival's Contribution to the Resurgence of the Venetian Mosaic Enamel Industry." Proquest. Graduate Thesis. 2012. 39-40.
Jena76's flickr Photostream
Earth in Pictures

Albert Memorial Chapel, Windsor Castle

Among Antonio Salviati's first English commissions was an 1862 request from Queen Victoria for the decoration of the Wolsey Chapel in the east passage of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which was turned into the Albert Memorial Chapel soon after the December 1861 death of her beloved husband.

In addition to the tomb of Victoria's grandson Albert, Duke of Clarence (d. 1892), the chapel also contains the remains of her youngest son, Prince Leopold (d. 1884).

 

View of the eastern-end windows.

The 28 panels of the west wall's blank window are decorated with mosaics of full-length figures of historic individuals who have some type of connection to Windsor Castle including British Kings, Queens and Prelates. This section of mosaic was ordered separately in 1864.

The extensive ceiling mosaics that cover about 2,100 square feet, as well as the soffits of the side windows feature 92 angels, heraldry and floral motifs. The general designs were by G.G. Scott and the cartoons were created by J.R. Clayton. The ceiling mosaics were completed first, and the pre-fabrication (in Venice), transportation to London and installation took a total of ten months.

Sources:
London Connection
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. London: Antique Collectors' Club, 2008. 18.
College of St. George Chapel Archives
Le Monde1's flickr Photostream
Aaron K Hall's flickr Photostream
Striderv's flickr Photostream
Mary Scots' flickr Photostream
Papers Read at the Royal Institute of British Architects. Session 1868-69. London: Rooms of the Institute. 1869. 44.

Royal Frogmore Mausoleum

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were both buried in this private mausoleum located on the Frogmore Estate that adjoins Windsor Castle. Designed by Albert Jenkins Humbert and Ludwig Gruner soon after the Prince's December 1861 death, the Romanesque building was consecrated in December 1862.

The mausoleum's extensive interior decorations were not fully completed until 1871. However, the entrance portico's walls and ceiling of Salviati mosaics were finished by the mausoleum's consecration. With this project, Queen Victoria had given the firm the first of its numerous English commission.

One of the six angels decorating the portico's walls.

According to a 1901 article, within the interior of the mausoleum "the pendentives of the lanterns are filled with pictures executed by Salviati in mosaic".

Sources:
Wikipedia
streetr's flickr Photostream
Thomas Moore London Connections
jbbullen.com
"The Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore." Press. LVIII, 10878. January 30, 1901. 7. found at the National Library of New Zealand.
Barr, Sheldon. Venetian Glass Mosaics: 1860-1917. New York: Antique Collectors’ Club Ltd., 2008. 16.
The Royal Collection