MEDIAEVAL PAINTING Wythe is paid ' pro 50 soundis piscium 2d.' ' Be this as it may, in many of the paintings there is a crispness of touch in certain details which might lead to the conclusion that they were executed in tempera rather than in oil and possibly afterwards varnished. It is probable, however, that with the sixteenth century oil painting had been generally adopted. The mechanical aid of stencilling was resorted to, but mostly in the monograms and wreaths and some other details of roof-decoration. The fine work upon the screens was effected in great measure by hand, as may readily be seen. The history of the painters of the Norfolk screens and mural pictures has not been handed down to us. No English Vasari has written the lives of these obscure artists. Yet some records remain of them in various old docu- ments from which room may be found here for a few quotations. The earliest mention of painters and painting in these documents occurs in the sacrists' rolls, or fabric accounts, of the cathedral church of Norwich. As yet nothing has come to light with respect to the executants of the twelfth-century mural decoration which covered the quire and its aisles, and which, though simple in character, was on so extensive a scale, but under the date 1275 is a notice in the rolls of colours bought for painters, and in 1277 a Master William, apparently a carver as well as a painter, is mentioned, and further purchases recorded of colours, oils, and varnish.* In 1279—80 gold was bought, and more colours, and the painters William and Philip, John and Matthew, received their wages ; in John's case for 20 weeks and in Matthew's for 6 weeks.* In 1288-9 Master Richard, John le Noreis, John dc Deford, Henry the painter, William the painter, and Simon Cok, were paid wages for work upon a certain tabula." In 1305—6 gold was bought, and colours, to be employed upon the shrine of St. William the boy saint, and Simon the painter and his apprentice received wages and the cost of their board for 9 weeks.* After this last date the entries in these rolls become less frequent and of little importance. Another source of information may be drawn upon however, viz. the Court rolls, preserved in the Norwich Municipal archives, dating from 1285 1 Fish glue was used in joinery in the middle ages, but as the material is mentioned here as supplied by a painter, it may have been used properly diluted as a medium in painting. ^ 1275-6. Pro azur' ad pictorem et pro vermeliun et pro lineis pannis ad opus pictoris et alijs coloribuj ad opus ejusdem. xxxj/. vijV. ob.
- 1277-8. Magistro Willelmo pro factura yna .... iiij/;3. yjV. viij^.
Eidem pro factura xxj. panellorum et pro depictione unius panelli et pro tabernaculo itlib. viij/. Pro azur' et vermelione. vertegriz xiij' argent' xv'= & di aur'. croco. albo plumbo. oleo. verniz et petris V. Rb. xxiijV.
- 1279-80. Pro auro empto petr' stangno et coloribus xylib. ijV.
In stipendiis Willelmi et Philipi pictorum ad festum Sancti Michaelis usque ad Pentecost. Iviij/. In stipendio Johannis pictoris per . xx . septimanas xviij/. In stipendio Mathei pictoris per vj septimanas iiij/. ' 1288-9. In stipendiis circa tabulam. Magistro Richard, v. marcas. It. Johanni le Noreis xx/. ijV. Item, Johanni de Deford xj/. xjV. Henrico pictori xj/. Willelmo pictori vj/. viij</. Item, Simoni Cok, xxviij</.
- 1305-6. In C et xl foliis auri emptis ad feretrum Sancti Willelmi vj/. viiji^.
Item in C et dimidio argenti xja'. Item in xij libris albi plumbi vermicl' et Orpyment ]s. ]d. In oleo ad depingendum nd. Item in stipendiis et victualibus Symonis pictoris et garcionis sui per ix septimani* xxv/. VJ<2'. My thanks are due to Mr. W. H. St. John Hope for the extracts quoted from these rolls. 551
