This is the second of two panels of the subject designed by Morris, the other for which the cartoon is also in the WMG (A13) shows the Virgin Mary holding the swaddled baby Jesus at an altar with the High Priest beyond. Both were originally designed for the east window in the north aisle of St Chad’s, Bishop’s Tachbrook, Warwickshire by Morris . The window in the church is composed of two lights with a quadrilobe above; the two panels of the presentation are set into panels of patternwork designed by Philip Webb above and below hem, with four circles containing the symbols of the Evangelists: top left: the Angel of St Matthew, bottom left: the Lion of St Mark, top right, the Bull of St Luke and bottom right, the Eagle of St John, all by Philip Webb. Webb also desinged the Angus Dei symbol in the quadrilobe in the tracery above. The window has an inscription below: In Memory of John Garner who died Feby.iii MDCCCLXII.
The Firm’s Minute Book records under the date 18 March, 1863: “Small drawings for E window of aisle of Tachbrooke Ch: assigned to Morris for 15 shillings each and the corresponding cartoons for £2. 5 shillings. The date is confirmed by Warrington Taylor’s list (of stained glass undertaken by the Firm, 1863-68, a copy of which is among the Morris papers at the Birmingham City Art Gallery.
The sketch design in watercolour is in the collection of Berger Collection, Huntingdon, California, together with a drapery study for the figure of Simeon in the Presentation. The sketch-design shows the head and hands of Christ in place of the Agnus Dei in the tracery.
For an illustration of the Bishop’s Tachbrook window, see Sewter, op. cit. Vol 1, pl. 143. For other places where the cartoon was used: Knaresborough, Yorkshire, St John the Baptist (1873) Choir, South side: 3 light and tracery with figures in 2 tiers in main lights in bottom of right light under figure of Simeon. Note: Presentation in the Temple: Virgin and Child & High priest as in WMG A13 also used in the same window in bottom of centre light below figures of Virgin and Child.
See Literature: A.C. Sewter, The Stained Glass of William Morris & His Circle, Yale Univ. Press, 1974-75, Vol. 1, pl. 145; Vol. 2, pp. 21, 107-108, 128-129 and 312.
