Cyrus

Opaque glass mosaic, designed by William Blake Richmond, executed by Messrs Powell of Whitefriars, completed by 1893



Brief description: Cyrus, king of Babylon, is depicted seated in a golden and patterned tunic with his shield by his side, his head turned towards the mosaic of Alexander the Great; behind him two tiers of processions: the lower procession of men, and a donkey, facing to the right in front of a gold background indicating a wall; the procession above is led by a bull and a male figure, possibly a priest; facing left against a night blue background the followers appear to be female figures; above four Seraphim (angels with six wings) in circles surrounded by rays; underneath a cartouche with a pattern of blue birds and red trees, on a golden ground



Related quotes:

Isaiah 44:28: “[the Lord] who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfil all my purpose’ (NRSV); Isaiah 45:1: “Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and ungird the loins of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed” (NRSV)

Browne 1896, pp. 13-14: “These spaces on the North side of the Choir represent the ancient world looking dimly forward into the future, with no limitation to Old Testament revelation. […] The figure on the west of the window is Cyrus, with reference to the opening chapter of the Book of Ezra. It is not necessary to call further attention to the splendour of the work; but it may be remembered once for all that the growth in splendour and strength as the chronological order of the work is followed from the easternmost bay westward is very marked. It is the imperishable evidence of the rapid development of the new school of mosaic art founded by Mr Richmond on the ancient ways.”



Literature and references: Browne 1896, pp.13-14; Zech 2015, p. 31 ill.