Reverance, ©2016 Brenda Wroe

​Reverance   2016
46cm x 46cm

Inspired by the Rose Window of Beauvais Cathedral France. 

Wholecloth. Radiance silk cotton mix. 

Hand-guided free motion quilting on a longarm machine.

​

Radiance challenge 2016
Exhibited at UK Grosvenor shows 2016-17

​Looking Closer

Beauvais cathedral in France is dedicated to St Peter which was built starting in the 10th century but never completed.  Gothic architecture used sophisticated techniques to reduce the weight of walls, to bring more light into churches, and to add more decorative features.   Beauvais cathedral has the highest vault of any gothic cathedral in the world, an amazing 48.5 metres - making it higher than St. Peter's in the Vatican. To support the height, the cathedral has a remarkable ensemble of flying buttresses.

Both the north and the south facades have huge flamboyant rose windows of 11m in diameter. Fortunately most of the important medieval glass from the 13th century was removed to safety before the devastation of WWII. 

When visiting this magnificent cathedral I was drawn by the symmetry of the rose windows which gave offers great scope to exploration in stitch.