Hope

Opaque glass mosaic, designed by William Blake Richmond, executed by Messrs Powell of Whitefriars, installed by 1896



This allegorical mosaic is one of six allegories of Christian virtues in the apse of St Paul’s Cathedral. The male and female figures are shown with symbolic objects, also known as attributes, and represent the following moral concepts: charity, truth, fortitude, chastity, hope and justice. The selection is inspired by the traditional seven key Christian virtues which are mentioned in the Old Testament and also have parallels in classical philosophy. Temperance, truth (which could be shown instead of the related virtue of prudence), justice and fortitude are the most common cardinal (Latin for ‘main’) virtues - three of which are represented in the quire. In addition, allegories of Hope and Charity, two of the three theological virtues faith, love and hope, can be seen. Chastity, also depicted, was included in a list of seven “Heavenly Virtues”, first promoted in the fifth century.

Virtues have always been an important subject matter of Christian art, even though the key virtues changed over the course of the centuries. In term of mosaics, Boris Anrep’s Modern Virtues, completed over half a century later and part of his mosaic floor for the National Gallery, provide an interesting comparison and contrast in terms not only of selection of virtues, but also in terms of style and mosaic technique.

Brief description: a female figure in a boat, her right on the tiller and gripping one corner of the red sail in her left; the sail inscribed in Latin “SPES” (hope), against a dark blue night sky with stars



Related quotes: Browne 1896, p. 6: “[...] six figures have been worked in mosaic, typical of six Virtues named in the Revelation. These are, beginning on the north side and passing round to the south,1. Hope, 2. Fortitude, 3. Charity, 4.Truth, 5. Chastity, 6. Justice.”



Literature and references: Browne 1896,p. 6; Zech 2015, p. 41.