Opaque glass mosaic, designed by Alfred Stevens, made Salviati & Co., ca. 1864, set in studio on cardboard before installation in situ
Four depictions of prophets in mosaic on the west side of the dome complement the pictures of the Four Evangelists which can be seen in the east, closer to quire and apse. Starting with Isaiah, the sequence of the mosaics echoes the sequence of the books in the Christian Gospel. At first glance quite uniform, upon closer inspection, each prophet and evangelist is depicted in a way that sums up characteristics associated with them. The Evangelists are also shown with their traditional symbols.
The cartoon for this mosaic was prepared by Alfred Stevens as part of a scheme agreed upon by the Decorative Committee of St Paul’s Cathedral. Alongside the cartoon for the mosaic of St Matthew was developed after designs by George Frederick Watts. Both cartoons were shown in the dome, and the mosaics installed in 1864 and 1866 respectively. Stevens was inspired by Roman Renaissance monumental painting, most importantly Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel which also feature a depiction of the prophet Isaiah.
Brief description: set in the southwest of the dome, between mosaics depicting the Evangelist John (mosaic no. 8455) and the prophet Jeremiah (mosaic no. 8449); prophet Isaiah seated between two angels, looking to his right reading a tablet presented by one of the winged angels; inscribed ‘ISAIAH’ on shield and scroll below; uniform gold background
Related quotes:
The Art Journal 1867: “The style of the designs is after the school of Michael Angelo, for Alfred Stevens was one of the few modern artists who worked on the lines of the great Italian.”
Related work elsewhere: mosaics in the cupola of St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, 16th century
Literature and references: The Builder 30 July 1864, p. 567; Browne 1896, pp. 1-2 (names Stevens as creator of the cartoon); The Art Journal 1867, p. 135; Barr 2008, pp. 14-15; Sladen 2004, p. 245; Zech 2015, p . 17, ill.
